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No Bragging Rights

Cycles

Written by: PP on 20/12/2012 20:18:39

So many great melodic hardcore releases in 2012 already, but more keep arriving in our review inbox. No Bragging Rights is the latest band to truly click with one another and subsequently deliver with their third album "Cycles" a hauntingly beautiful example of how hardcore needs not be monotonous and macho in order to sound good. They had already received plenty of praise for preceding album "Illuminator", but "Cycles" is what elevates them to the big leagues proper.

Soundwise, No Bragging Rights reference everyone from Comeback Kid to the more post-hardcore oriented Bury Tomorrow and the atmospheric hardcore champs in Hundredth. All three bands have very different approaches to hardcore in general, but it makes sense here as No Bragging Rights offer a versatile style that varies in both tempo and structure significantly from song to song. They have no problem reducing things down a two-step rhythm for a quick breakdown or two, but on the opposite side of the spectrum they write some extremely dynamic and high-flying leads at crazy speeds when they're at their very best, such as on "Fight For My Life" and on title track "Cycles". These are tracks that belong to the same hardcore punk leaning territory where Comeback Kid finds themselves, although with the exception that vocalist Mike Perez showcases his sublime clean singing for many choruses. His style should bring to mind the anthemic delivery of Bury Tomorrow and why not also Liam Cromby of We Are The Ocean fame, though he never borderlines anything resembling emo because of the purity and class in his voice. Plus, his razor sharp scream is bound to tear any such arguments apart in the next verse anyway.

Besides, who says you can't have clean singing in hardcore? No Bragging Rights display a great dynamic between harsh screaming and melodic cleans, which gives their heavy sections more oomph and in turn allows the choruses to sound even bigger in comparison. The anthemic gang shouts and the ripping lead guitar melodies provide in addition precisely the backing that their songs need to flourish and expand in terms of soundscape. Make no mistake, "Cycles" offers some of the biggest sounding songs you'll hear in hardcore this year, melodic or otherwise. There have been a ton of great releases in hardcore this year, so it has a chance of being forgotten amongst the oversupply, which is why I urge you to make the effort to check out this release, especially if you want some emotion in your hardcore.

Download: Hope Theory, Appraisals And Ommissions, Fight For My Life
For the fans of: Comeback Kid, Bury Tomorrow, Counterparts, Hundredth
Listen: Facebook

Release date 16.10.2012
eOne Music