For more than a decade, Louisville, Kentucky punks Coliseum were one of the most revered and respected bands in all of hardcore. Never resting on their laurels, they constantly evolved their sound, from the unrelenting punk of ‘Coliseum’ to the hard-edged political hardcore of ‘No Salvation’, through the moody post-punk-tinged later efforts like ‘Sister Faith’ and ‘Anxiety’s Kiss’. Throughout their career, the band were something of a revolving door in terms of their line-up, with the notable exception being the group’s founder and leader, Ryan Patterson. Patterson’s vision, both musical and artistic, grew organically and gradually over the years, and looking back, it was only ever a matter of time before the Coliseum name no longer fit what the man was trying to achieve. As such, on April 19th this year, Patterson took to social media to make the somewhat surprising announcement that Coliseum had made the decision to quietly fold at the tail-end of 2015. In this same statement, Patterson also announced his new project, Fotocrime, a one-man endeavour (at least on record), and with it a debut 7″ EP, ‘Always Hell’.
Particularly on ‘Anxiety’s Kiss’, Coliseum had shown a great shift towards a very ’80s inspired new wave sound, with a heavier emphasis on the incorporation of synthesisers into their music, evidenced most prominently on that album’s first single, ‘We Are The Water’. It seems clear listening to ‘Always Hell’ that this should have been taken as a signifier of the kind of sonic territory Ryan Patterson would continue to explore, as this 3-song EP is awash with keyboards, electronic drums and a more atmospheric wash of guitars than was ever at the forefront with Coliseum. The opening title track could very easily be mistaken for something from The Cure’s ‘Disintegration’ were it not for Patterson’s gruff and unmistakable vocals, though even his singing style is far more understated than on anything the man has put his name to in the past. The song is moody and foreboding, with a dark, jangling guitar line that adds just enough propulsion to the song to keep it motoring along. Its chorus is memorable if not exactly euphoric, though that’s clearly the point.
Second track ‘Plate Glass Eyes’ ups the energy level somewhat, opening with an urgent brace of repetitive drums and jagged guitars that are reminiscent of Joy Division at their most bracing – think ‘Transmission’ rather than ‘Atmosphere’. On this track Patterson indulges his post-punk love more than ever before, and though incredibly short, it’s an exhilarating song that, while lacking the pure fury of Coliseum at their most thunderous, has the same kind of pent-up energy fighting to burst out of the seams. Final track ‘Tectonic Shift’ has maybe one of the most fitting titles imaginable, as this is by far the biggest musical departure from Patterson’s past endeavours. The song is a murky wash of pulsing synth that wouldn’t sound out of place on the Stranger Things soundtrack, and though only just cracking the 3-minute mark, feels like an epic thanks to its atmospheric leanings, even when the drums kick in and the pace ever so slightly picks up towards its finale.
With only 3 tracks and lasting less than 10 minutes, ‘Always Hell’ feels like more of a teaser for the true potential of Fotocrime than anything else. Encouragingly though, each track has a feel and identity of its own, yet still all feel consistent and sit well together. Since the recording of the EP, Patterson has constructed a full band for live performances, though it’s unclear if they will stay a live-only proposition or actually contribute to the forthcoming full-length Fotocrime album. Even if it remains a solo project in the studio, based on ‘Always Hell’, fans of late-period Coliseum, or just dark and brooding post-punk in general, would do well to keep their eyes and ears peeled. This is a promising EP that more than ably cushions the blow of us losing one of the best bands of the last decade. Farewell Coliseum, hello Fotocrime. It’s lovely to meet you.
JAMES LEE