REVIEW: FOR YOUR HEALTH-IN SPITE OF

 

                                                                               2021

Bandcamp

Facebook

Ohio hardcore punk/screamo act For Your Health have been gaining a steady amount of hype from their inception in 2018, with their debut 7 inch Nosebleeds in 2019 as well as their excellent split with Shin Guard the same year. With each new release, the band has evolved their sound, and that is certainly the case with their first full length album In Spite Of, which keeps several of their core elements intact while also moving forward from straightforward screamo into new sonic territory by injecting influences from several different genres and eras of emo, hardcore and punk into their sound.

(Photo Credit: Alice Hirsch)

Clocking in at a brisk 17 minutes, it's almost overwhelming how many elements of punk sub genres the band pulls from to craft this album, but even more surprising is how well it all works together in tandem. Opening track "Birthday Candles For The Effigy" is an excellent example of the multiple musical shifts the band employs to great effect: The chaotic opening section sounds like it could have come straight from Daughters now classic LP Canada Songs, then transitions into a blistering hardcore punk section that sounds as urgent and anthemic as anything in the genre, only to transtion again and finish off with a soaring melodic ending coupled with clean vocals and melodies that could have been pulled from a classic Thursday song. All these shifts happen within the span of just over 2 minutes, and despite the dynamic range that could easily come from three wholly separate bands, it flows together perfectly. These dynamics continue throughout the rest of the album, with several unexpected twists and turns. While certainly not the first band to employ several different sounds on their record, it's hard to think of many current artists that do it this effectively, with no songwriting sacrifices made for the sake of including multiple shifts in sound.

Overall, For Your Health have put out one hell of a debut album, one of the more exciting hardcore/punk releases recently, a record that showcases a myriad of influences without sacrificing killer songs in the process. It's a record that will undoubtfully turn the heads of older punks and those just scratching the surface of the genre as well, and I can't help but feel like the band is poised to do very big things in the future, once eternal lockdown hell ends. In the meantime, definitely check out In Spite Of and get hyped for when the band (and bands in general) can become more active again.

Stream and digitally purchase a copy of For Your Health-In Spite Of HERE (Physical Copies Currently Sold Out)

REVIEW:PORTRAYAL OF GUILT-WE ARE ALWAYS ALONE

 

2021

Bandcamp

Facebook

This is ad nauseum sentiment at this point, but had 2020 not turned out to be the absolute shitshow that it did, it would have undoubtfully been a huge year for Portrayal Of Guilt. One of the absolute best and brightest acts in the extreme music scene right now, the band kept a relentless touring schedule until they literally couldn't anymore because of lockdown, building hype and turning heads on a steady stream of releases including their excellent first full length "Let Pain Be Your Guide" in 2018 and follow up EP "Suffering Is A Gift" in 2019, not to mention several excellent split releases with bands as varied as Street Sects, Slow Fire Pistol and Soft Kill. One thing about the band's releases that struck me was they seemed to evolve rapidly every step of the way, consistently bending the multiple extreme music genres they implore and pushing their craft to the next level. I am happy to say that their stunning new full length "We Are Always Alone" is yet another exceptional step up for the band, and marks their most compelling effort to date.

For those unfamiliar with the band, Portrayal Of Guilt are a scathing metallic hardcore/screamo band that deploy a blend of several extreme genres in their sound to great effect. You can hear shades of everything from black metal, powerviolence and doom metal in the band's sound, and it builds to a sense of despair and darkness that many of their contemporaries could only dream of achieving. In their early stages PoG toured with major influences and legendary screamo bands Pg.99 and Majority Rule, and their material hinted at carrying the torch for some of the genre's greatest bands while also pushing toward their own unique sound, and they've certainly achieved that on this new record. This is not only the darkest and heaviest material the band has put out to date, but it's also some of the most pitch black material I've ever heard from a screamo band in general. Guest vocalists from both of the aforementioned bands appear on the album's songs as well, further cementing their legacy being carried forward to a new generation. But it's perhaps even more impressive that this album finds the band pressing forward with their own unique sound and take on the beloved genre, breaking the boundaries that separate punk and metal entirely and combining them to devastating effect.

It might only be mid January, but I'm ready to go ahead and call that "We Are Always Alone" will absolutely be one of the very best heavy records that comes out in 2021. It's the culmination of years of hard work on the band's end and a continued evolution of their now signature sound. Fans of punk, metal, and screamo should drop everything they're doing now assuming they're unaware, watch the video posted above, and get acquainted with what very well may become one of your new favorite bands. Here's hoping late 2021 will lead to the band being able to tour again and bring these incredible songs to audiences across the world.

Purchase "We Are Always Alone" Via Closed Casket Activities Here