Softspoken - Where The Heart Belongs - EP Review

Softspoken - Where the Heart Belongs - EP - Independent

Track List:

1. Sleight of Hand

2. Bones

3. Where the Heart Belongs (featuring Alexia Rodriguez of Eyes Set To Kill)

4. Realign

5. The Road

One of the scene's current trends is for bands to go in a more "pop" direction by taking out or reducing unclean/screaming vocals or adding electronics. One band shaking that notion and forging their path is the band Softspoken out of Kentucky. With their new EP 'Where the Heart Belongs,' Softspoken joins a much smaller group of bands that have added a sense of aggression to their already melodic post-hardcore sound.

Softspoken has always had the melodic part of their post-hardcore style down with previous releases' Pathways' and 'Deaf Perception.' 'Where the Heart Belongs' is no different in that aspect. 'Sleight of Hand' was the first single released back in 2020, and right from the downbeat, you might think you're in for something different. By the second verse, the unclean (screaming) vocals rip through, and you KNOW this is going to be something different from previous iterations. The back and forth between unclean and clean (singing) vocals are balanced very well, and nothing comes off as overwhelming or cliche. 

The EP continues this tradition with some semi-progressive instrumentation, fun riffs, and passionate vocals. From the beginning, Softspoken creates an atmosphere of anticipation that compels you to continue listening all the way through while finding even more moments of connection. There are plenty of times where you'll find yourself singing along with the thoughtful and catchy lyrics and then simultaneously bobbing your head to a catchy beat or banging your head to a drop/breakdown. It's a collection of music that demands multiple listens to pick up on everything you may miss the first time around.

In another unique move in the scene, Softspoken has made the EP available for purchase now while releasing tracks monthly to streaming sites. It's a novel idea, especially since bands' direction seems to focus on only single releases without an EP or album follow-up. It allows fans to support Softspoken and enjoy the entire EP's story or wait for the releases over time. 

For anyone missing the early incarnation of the 'Slaves' sound, Softspoken continues the tradition of passionate and melodic post-hardcore while making it their own. Front to back, 'Where the Heart Belongs' showcases Softspoken's range. Even though the band has released two full-length albums previously, this third release shows that "maturity" doesn't have to mean "stale." There are so much talent and potential in Softspoken, and it's exciting to imagine what could come next. Keep your ears open because you won't want to miss it.

Website (Pick up ‘Where the Heart Belongs’)

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

YouTube

A Scent Like Wolves - Mystic Auras - Album Review

A Scent Like Wolves - Mystic Auras - We Are Triumphant

Track List:

1. Pink Dawn (intro)

2. Eastern Lights

3. Telephone

4. Bloom (feat. JT Cavey of Erra)

5. Poison

6. Midnight Eyes (interlude)

7. Deja Vu (feat. Mattéo Gelsomino of Novelists + Sal3m)

8. Death Effect (feat. Brian Wille of Currents)

9. Dissolve (feat. Booka Nile of Make Them Suffer)

10. Aquamarine

Just shy of three years, A Scent Like Wolves return with their sophomore album 'Mystic Auras,' but does it run with the pack or lead the hunt?

Hailing from Reading, a small town in PA, A Scent Like Wolves (ASLW) have continually refined and molded their sound since their debut full length, 'And The Story Goes' in 2013. 'Mystic Auras' continues that tradition with mixtures of post-hardcore, metalcore, and progressive metalcore elements. Not only that, they're one of the few remaining pure dual vocalist bands in the scene. That means 'Mystic Auras' showcases intertwining clean and unclean (singing and screaming) vocal performances from brothers Al and Nick. From soaring highs to bellowing screams, there's plenty of diversity throughout 'Mystic Auras.'

ASLW has always been good at setting the mood in their music, and this is no different, but it's accomplished differently than in their previous material. Each track sounds different from the last while still feeling like ASLW. The musical arrangements vary, not allowing the listener to become bored, while catchy choruses and driving instrumentation keep constant interest in what's coming next. 

A unique trait of 'Mystic Auras' is the willingness to diversify and emphasize features from the scene. Utilizing features is often a missed opportunity in post-hardcore and metalcore. Unlike pop, hip-hop, and other genres, features are used sparingly, but that's not the case with ASLW. Out of the ten tracks, four have features. That's 40%! Easy math even I can do! 'Mystic Auras' boasts features from some heavy hitters from ERRA, Novelists, Currents, and Make Them Suffer! That's an impressive lineup, and each makes an impact and adds an extra layer to their track. 'Dissolve,' which features Booka from Make Them Suffer, is worth an additional note as it's the first almost ballad-style music ASLW has attempted. It certainly pays off (minus a little shoe-horning at the beginning (😜).

My only minute gripe with 'Mystic Auras' is that out of ten tracks, two of them are an intro and interlude (that's 20%). Really, it's only because ASLW always leaves you wanting more. More dual-vocals, more driving instruments, more heavy-melody. It's cliche, but you want even more of the story.

One of the best parts of ASLW when listening to 'Mystic Auras' is the feeling that they're making the music they want to make. Their music feels like the identity they want, and sometimes, that can be rare in a scene of trend followers. Even though they're very good at mixing genres, you don't feel like it's overwhelming or forced. It's a natural progression of the journey they've been on for almost ten years. In that way, they'll always be leading their own pack with 'Mystic Auras.'

Make sure to support A Scent Like Wolves by pre-ordering ‘Mystic Auras’ and following/listening at these links:

Website

Bandcamp

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Ian Hates Boston Manor's 'Welcome to the Neighbourhood'

Boston Manor - Welcome To The Neighbourhood

Pure Noise Records

13 tracks (1 Interlude)

Pop-punk has been on an upswing for the last few years with mainstays and newcomers alike, but, whenever the scene goes through a revamped pop-punk cycle, the music can start to sound very similar. It becomes harder to differentiate yourself from the pack and “make your mark”. Luckily for all of us, there’s Blackpool’s Boston Manor.

Now, saying, Boston Manor, fits comfortably into only the pop-punk genre would be doing them a disservice. They’ve always been good at mixing genres like post-hardcore, pop-rock, and maybe even some emo, to form a really great amalgamation in the "pop-punk" scene. For more reference, you can always go back and listen to their breakthrough debut full-length, ‘Be Nothing’ out on Pure Noise Records. Of course, we’re not here to talk about ‘Be Nothing’ necessarily, but it serves as a great precursor to what ‘Welcome to the Neighbourhood’ is.

And that brings us to ‘Welcome to the Neighbourhood’, the sophomore full-length release from Boston Manor, through Pure Noise Records. I have to admit, I have been looking forward to this album since I first heard ‘Be Nothing’ and saw the lads (I’ll use the British term, why not?) at a small, cluttered, art gallery playing alongside Rarity, Broadside, and Like Pacific. A great mix of post-hardcore, emo, and pop-punk all under one art-lined roof. It was my first experience of Boston Manor live, but it definitely won't be my last.

The album begins with the title track as the intro, but once you hear the ominous tone that’s set from the start, you realize the song is more of a warning than a welcome. Tone plays a big role in WTTN, often haunting intros lead to catchy choruses, with the appearance of some unclean vocals from time to time to keep the listener on their toes. There’s even the semblance of some breakdowns, although lighter than a metalcore band, they’ll no doubt get the crowds moving (see ‘Flowers In Your Dustbin’) if they weren't already.  

Throughout the album, Boston Manor keep you guessing as they weave in and out of bitterness and radio-friendly addictiveness. You’ll find yourself bouncing around and shaking your shoulders even though you know the lyrics aren’t necessarily for body-moving joy. But, that doesn’t seem to matter as you navigate through the album, because each track leads you deeper into this bouncy ominous world Boston Manor has created.

It might sound strange to some, but I often heard some The Amity Affliction-esque melodies in ‘Be Nothing’, so in WTTN, I’ll continue the strangeness and say that in certain tracks you can hear Marilyn Manson-esque and Bring Me The Horizon-esque melodies (see ‘Funeral Party’ for a prime example). Not exactly what you’d expect in a pop-punk album, but that’s what will keep Boston Manor relevant in a sea of the similar.

WTTN is fast paced at times, bold, catchy (of course), and it keeps your attention with the storyline it creates because, for one, it's different than anything you've heard. If your heart isn't out of your chest by the final track it certainly will be as the semi-acoustic, epic sounding, 'The Day I Ruined Your Life' ends with a chorus of repeating shouts of "The day that I ruin your life" to the final guitar pick.

In music, people often bring up that the second album for a band makes or break them. I don’t necessarily agree with that statement in all cases, but if it is true, then Boston Manor have cemented themselves as a must-hear band with ‘Welcome to the Neighbourhood’. It’s one of the most compelling “pop-punk” albums of 2018 and one that begs to be dissected over and over again, and at this time in music, that's the highest compliment you can achieve.

• Boston Manor - Website

• Boston Manor - Facebook

• Boston Manor - Twitter

• Boston Manor - Instagram

• Boston Manor - MerchNow