No Year

So Long

Written by: PP on 18/02/2021 00:15:15

When you receive upwards of 150 submissions for review consideration weekly as we do here at Rockfreaks.net, you rarely take shots at bands you've never even heard of by name. But you do that occasionally anyway to make sure you don't miss out. Here, it took but one listen to the opening track of the debut album "So Long" by Portland, Oregon's No Year to convince me that they have a sound that needs to be heard by a much wider audience than is the case right now. The album is essentially 45 minutes of sonic beauty packaged into five tracks that explore the origins of post-hardcore as it was meant to sound like in the early 90s and reflect on that soundscape through a kaleidoscope of psychedelic effects and progressive methodology to deliver a unique, yet an eerily familiar expression that lures its listener into a state of hypnotic lullaby only to awaken them with earthquake-style shakes of sonic vibrations moments later.

"So Long" is an incredible mixture of gravelly punk rock mixed with lengthy, progressive segments that draw equally much from noise rock as they do from grungy distortion. It's an earnest sound that places itself in the same origins as Jawbreaker and Small Brown Bike while channeling the emotive, scream-laden atmospheres of Planes Mistaken For Stars and Crime In Stereo in the process. It's a soundscape of urgency established through thick, lo-fi instrumentation where glitches and rougher production are okay, played against a gravelly howl that should bring chills to the back of any Hot Water Music fan out there. Essentially, the expression oozes passion and raw musical joy, giving nods both towards the early 90s style post-hardcore pioneering bands on Gravity Records as well as to the early to mid-2000s style revival of the same. Effectively, "So Long" sounds like Jawbreaker and Crime In Stereo wrote a psychedelic record together, blending the gravelly passion with progressive, ambient soundscapes.

Of these, "Sundown" and "What People Say" are brilliant examples, but really any of the five tracks -- ranging from nearly 7 minutes to almost 11 minutes in length -- provide a sonic journey that fans of punk and post-hardcore should look forward to exploring. It features throaty screams contrasted against psychedelic instrumental segments, massive buildups that lead to orgasmic climaxes of pure sonic beauty. I rarely say this, but what No Year has produced here is what music is all about. This needs to be heard. Spread the word - and expect this to be a lock on near the top of my end-of-year list come December this year.

Download: Sundown, What People Say, Welcome Home
For the fans of: Jawbreaker, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Crime In Stereo, Small Brown Bike,
Listen: Bandcamp

Release date 29.01.2021
Inferior Planet

Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.