aaamusic | On 14, May 2012

In the States, the great genre of Post-Hardcore hasn’t quite gone overground in the same way it has over here. Meaning that American Post-Hardcore bands have a much higher chance of sounding, interesting, unique and blisteringly heavy than over here, where most of them sound like a less interesting Biffy Clyro. Night Verses in this, their debut E.P have provided the best example of this since Brand New’s Daisy album (however, that particular album reached number 6 on the Billboard 200 so my “underground” theory may not have as much weight as I think. But I digress!). Night Verses are the new project of ex-The Sleeping singer Doug Robinson, and good lord if there was ever a way to air a new project effectively, making one of the freshest rock records of the year should be one of the most effective. It’s a wonder why more people don’t try it.

Coming on like a more streamlined and accessible version of Enter Shikari playing Glassjaw covers, of course that doesn’t cover their sound entirely but it provides a good starting point. Especially on synth heavy opener From The Shadows Where I’m Low, where, but unlike Shikari the New York based quartet don’t skimp on the guitar thrills in favour of computerised beeps and boops. Closing track I’ve Lost My Way Back Down is the most straight-forward post-hardcore tracks here and it’s also one of the best. Put simply this is an outrageously exciting taster for what is coming later in the year, with a UK Show talked about for this summer. If you have a passing interest in the heavier end of the rock spectrum, get this in your life as soon as humanly possible.

★★★★★

Will Howard