Firstly – this release is currently available for free from Bandcamp http://tdmuk.bandcamp.com/. There is no substitute for making your own mind up about music.
Secondly – musically it’s pretty good. Stated influences include The Lawrence Arms, Lifetime, Against Me, Sick Of It All, Title Fight, Bouncing Souls and the Alkaline Trio. Whilst it’s fair to say that there are elements of all of those in the music offered here, mid-fast tempo punk rock generally, the end result is more than a little similar to the current wave of gruff punk bands either by accident or design. There is a token acoustic track tacked onto the end as well, though it’s a bit of a terrible cliche, an acoustic track about having the blues and drinking whiskey, titled Whiskey Blues.
The entire EP was recorded in the bassists spare room, and actually the music doesn’t really suffer for it. Everything is clear and fairly well produced – I’ve certainly heard much worse from established studios. Unfortunately, the vocals sound like the singer was singing through the door from outside the room at times which hampers the release. Coupled with the fact that the dude just can’t sing. It’s like someone got Christian Bale to do the Batman voice for 15 minutes and set it to music. It’s pretty dire.
It’s a shame as well because as I said the music is pretty good and certainly had me tapping my foot – I just couldn’t get past the terrible vocals. Until The End even has great gang vocals, and its true of most of the songs – it’s all well structured and melodic enough, it’s just being let down by vocals that are neither melodic or interesting.
I still can’t put my finger on it properly, but the vocals really do sound like the guy is trying to do a Brendan Kelly impression, but just ends up sounding like he has a really sore throat which lets this EP down massively. Leave behind the token acoustic track and this is an otherwise fairly solid collection of songs, hampered only by the vocals.
Kieran