Band: Ursa Major
Release: Old Bones (Album)
Release Date: 18/03/2013
Shepperton five-piece Ursa Major are a reminder to the British post-hardcore/melodic metalcore scene that although, yes, it is over-saturated, tedious and often infuriating, on occasion, a band comes along that gives fans of said genre a glimpse of hope.
Tours with bands such as Brotherhood Of The Lake, Golden Tanks, Our People Versus Yours and Terakai firmly under their south London belts, the Ursa Major lads are about to release their debut full-length ‘Old Bones‘, eight tracks, just shy of half an hour in length that is eagerly anticipated by critics and fans alike.
Opening track ‘Birth‘ rolls smoothly and promisingly into ‘Black Lights‘, a piece that is heavy in its own manner, the riff is typically metalcore-driven, reminiscent of old school Atreyu, the vocals have an aura of distinctiveness as vocalist Elliott Fletcher bends his pipes to lay out piercing, tearing screams and reeling it in with the cleans that make up the hook-heavy chorus. There is little tentativeness as ‘The Two Hundred‘ begins, a track very much based around the metalcore genre with a riff and chorus could easily appear on any Killswitch Engage track and this is most definitely not a negative thing, the band are certainly mature in their relatively young years.
The savage and relentless ‘Dead Eyes‘ bangs straight into the melodiously heavy ‘The Fist Of The Feet‘ as the band display that they can span with melody and tearing heaviness, combining the two without it sounding horrifically contrasting or cliche. Nice.
‘Anchored‘ displays the strength that this band have coming in the form of clean vocals, the backing section adding a sturdy dimension to the chorus section before the track fades out with a subtle guitar solo of sorts and into the brilliant ‘Clipped Wings‘. This is a track that starts quietly and almost awkwardly before firing straight into a massive sounding rhythm section laced with raw and clean vocal sections alike.
Arguably one of the most important parts of any record is the closing track and this one boasts ‘In Death‘ which has purpose, direction and meaning. The vocal range fluctuates which showcases the importance of Fletcher‘s flexibility as a front-man and the band’s willingness to span the lighter and heavier side of the metalcore/post genres. The boys should be very proud of what they have achieved as a debut full-length and there is no doubt that it will receive the acclaim that it deserves.
8/10
Reviewer: Luke Davis
