Mixing together the ambient tones of melodic hardcore with spoken-word has served Being as an Ocean well in the past and adding more of a full-band feel to the latest Hotel Books album seemed to bring it alive more so than on previous records. September Stories continue this trend, resting somewhere in between the two, to show a massive amount of potential with ‘Home’.

To make this genre work, it’s essential for the vocal delivery to burst with emotion and front-man Andrew Baughman is certainly not lacking here. With lyrics based on the memories of a broken home, Baughman tells his story well, concluding that “what we call home isn’t where we’re born or any situation we’re thrown in to. But it’s where we’re able to cope with these memories we’ve long outgrew.”

In addition to the impressively narrated spoken-word, Baughman provides uplifting passages of melodic singing, which provides a welcome contrast and merges brilliantly with the instrumentals that simmer underneath with ambient atmosphere. ‘Home’ is a rousing introduction to September Stories’ upcoming album ‘This House Was Never a Home’, due for release on April 28^th.