A solid debut…
Available from 17 June 2016
Review by Dan Perks
The UK melodic hardcore scene is currently in the middle of an awakening with bands such as Acres, Our Hollow Our Home and Thrones heading up a procession of inspired up and coming bands. Hailing from the south coast of England, Moralist are set to establish themselves in that group of up and coming bands. With their debut four track EP Bitterness Lays In Wasted Time, Moralist are announcing themselves as a band to take note of.
The EP opens with the clean fluid guitars of ‘Nevermore’, a four-minute blend of dry emotive vocals and thundering drums. The regular tempo changes and galloping verses give ‘Nevermore’ a high energy feel, and the vocals are positive and uplifting. This high energy feel continues though ‘Bitterness Lays In Wasted Times’ and the frantic pace of ‘Weatherman’, both tracks utilizing constantly changing drum dynamics and riffs to keep the energy and intensity flowing. Closing the EP is ‘Bound to Anchors’ which rounds up the four tracks with more catchy uplifting gang vocals and melodic guitars.
While Bitterness Lays In Wasted Times is a solid debut release it does feel a little safe, it fails to really land that knockout blow I was hoping for. The breakdowns feel a little generic and don’t really have the weight a breakdown should have and the vocal hooks are not prominent enough to really set in your head. For a debut EP Bitterness Lays In Wasted Times is a solid effort and provides some really positive elements for the future of Moralist. I look forward to hearing what a year or so of maturity and experience will bring to their next release.
7 out of 10
Track list:
- Nevermore
- Bitterness Lays In Wasted Times
- Weatherman
- Bound To Anchors
