Vervain

Gammal Skate / NY Hardcore EP

Written by: PP on 16/01/2012 23:02:41

Sweden's Vervain have been garnering some hype in their home country based on their debut full length and their previous EP "Stadens Ljus", mostly for their uncanny ability to combine melodic punk with 90s style hardcore in a manner that sounds simultaneously old school and modern. "Gammal Skate / NY Hardcore" EP returns the band into a heavier direction and away from the poppy sound of "Stadens Ljus"; its title is pretty much spot on in its description of the band's sound - a combo of old school skate punk and New York tinged hardcore. Think Champion meets early 90s Pennywise, and you're well on your way to understanding what this record attempts to do.

In the space of just nine and a half minutes, the Swedes thrash and burn through five songs of melodic hardcore that's driven by grating guitars, and tight instrumentation that's definitely a throwback towards the 90s skate punk before Pennywise and NUFAN made it all melodic. There's a sense of intensity and urgency to their sound, created by the frantic pace of all songs on the record, but also through the clean / scream dynamic of their vocalist, who isn't afraid to inject in melody to contrast his occasional shouted screams. And while the record maintains a slight bit of ungdomshuset feel (the spirited youth punk rebellion stuff), it's always a step ahead of merely uncompromising brutality and mean-spirited rebellion, thus avoiding a monotonous sound. Instead, "Gammal Skate / NY Hardcore" may be one of the fresher sounding records you'll hear from 2011 because of its original sound, even if the songs, which are sung in Swedish, otherwise won't make it to many end-of-year lists. A ton of potential here awaiting to be unleashed.

7

Download: Ingenting/Krossade Drömmar
For the fans of: metallic skate punk with hardcore influences
Listen: Myspace

Release date 05.08.2011
Nobleway Records

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