Band: The Departed
Release: Steal The Crown
Release Date: Out Now
‘Steal The Crown’ is the latest release from Grimsby melodic hardcore upstarts The Departed. The album is 26 minutes of gritty chugging and raucous screams that is definitely worth checking out for any fan of the hardcore genre.
Musically its nothing spectacularly ground breaking, but with that said, the execution is well presented and the production has the perfect mix between clarity and grit that a release like this needs to succeed. Also, The Departed separate themselves from many of their counterparts by keeping a fair bit of pace integrated into their writing, echoing the likes of Comeback Kid, and the occasional vocal melody seeping into their choruses. This ability to recognize a good hookline gives this band an accessibility that could see them go further than the likes of Pay No Respect and Last Witness.
Personal highlights for me were ‘Tides’ and ‘15 Minutes Of Fame’. ‘Tides’ had a video released recently which incorporated political shots amongst performance in a soviet montage style, which I definitely appreciated. The social commentary involved in ’15 Minutes Of Fame’ make it incredibly intriguing, and the vocal melody makes for icing on an already tasty cake!
It feels that The Departed have got some great ideas, but are held back for fear of alienating the scene of which they have become comfortable with. If they lose the stereotypically hardcore lyrics that take up the majority of this record and push the boat out with their guitar work, they could make something truly amazing. Unfortunately ‘Steal The Crown’ is not that, but is hopefully a stepping stone leading to their best work which is yet to come.
7/10
Reviewer: Robert Doran
