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Riot Stares

Sounds Of Acceleration

Written by: PP on 01/04/2023 12:32:20

I was wondering how long it'd take until Turnstile's unique twist on hardcore would start spawning new bands influenced by their out-of-box thinking when it comes to hardcore. Now it seems to be happening at a rapid tempo. Earlier this year, we saw the fantastic debut by UK's XL Life, and around the same time Charleston, South Carolina-based Riot Stares released their interpretation of the same on their respective debut album, "Sounds Of Acceleration".

It is a very interesting take on hardcore as it utilizes the 90s sound heavily into a bouncy, twisting-and-turning type of slow-tempo hardcore. It effectively sounds like Quicksand, Fugazi, and Turnstile had a baby together. Throw in inspiration from bands like Verse, Bane, and Backtrack, and the cocktail is complete. It comes out in the form of rhythmic pulsation and slowly creeping, groovy hardcore that certainly sounds different from the rest of their genre peers currently.

A song like "Drive" is a hard-hitting, yelled form of hardcore that resembles what Bane did on their records back in the day. Yet it features raw, harsh guitar distortion that sounds like the dirty edges of the 90s made a comeback. Likewise, "Quick Fix" relies on a jarring, chord-based delivery that allows for surprisingly slow vocal delivery. It's a little bit reminiscent of what Verse did on their albums, creating an almost poetic vibe to the soundscape.

By slowing things down to almost a crawl, Riot Stares give their songs room to breathe and resonate in a way that wouldn't be possible if you just went for the breakneck speed delivery that's the norm within hardcore. It's grungy and features elements of alternative rock, while still offering a distinctly hardcore sound overall. It's one of those records that has the potential to become a cult classic with the right audiences. Unfortunately, it might also be their last record as guitarist Issy Varoumas tragically passed away before the release of this record. Here's to hoping the band will find the strength to continue, given how promising "Sounds Of Acceleration" is overall.

Download: Shockwave, Trip Chain, Drive
For the fans of: Turnstile, Verse, Backtrack, Fugazi, Bane, Quickasand, XL Life
Listen: Facebook

Release date 20.01.2023
DAZE