Monday 20 November 2017

AND ALWAYS

BandAND ALWAYS
GenresPunk / Emo / Screamo / Skramz Rock / Post-Rock / Post-Hardcore / Ambient / Shoegaze
Related artistsRespireTell-Tale Hearts, Marla Singer, Quone and Dela Trudos.
CountryToronto, Ontario CANADA
Years Active2017-present
Song: "Collapse"
Album: "...and always"
Year: 2017
For fans ofFraera, The Reptilian, Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket, Nanette, Emö Lendvai, Lessener, Growing FinsTerry Green, PluumAnemone and Respire aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the November 2017 Mix. This is track #9.
You can download: the November 2017 Mix#11 right here or get the new December 2017 Mix#12 here.

Egin (Respire, Tell-Tale Hearts), Alex Kolanko (Marla Singer), Mark Wilson (Tell-Tale Hearts, Marla Singer, Quone) recently created a new band in Toronto, Ontario and sussed out seven songs ranging from three to five minutes. If you can imagine if Respire, Suis La Lune and 'End Paths'-era The Reptilian all wrapped into one emo cigar...then apparently AND ALWAYS is an emo cigar. Peculiar analogy, I know. Anyways, let's take a look at the songs from '...and always', shall we?

"Collapse" is a great opener, rolling out all three members instruments and well as vocal duties, with each member timing their lyrics differently, creating a lush layer of screaming throughout the songs' 4:17 duration. Perhaps due more in part to being from Toronto and having multiple vocalists, but it sounds kinda like Fraera. "Fate" is much like a Respire song but with more of a midwestern emo feel, although Egin's growls can found sporadically throughout the song's 4:23 length, as well as the rest of the record. The second half of the song incorporates probable Terry Green influence (not unlike the opening track), especially in the slow, spoken word midsection. "Home" has kind of a Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket and Suis La Lune feel, and I love the overlapping vocals. After two minutes it really slips into more of an emo realm, especially with the gruff but still strained vocals. I think local friends Growing Fins would be a good comparison here. "Age" begins slow and methodical with screams piercing from all directions, has a middle not unlike Hot Water Music with that gruff singing, and an epic ending. "Blank" seems to be the fastest and most direct part of any song, with very Swedish sounding with two or three vocals going down simultaneously and comparisons to Anemone and Lessener being quite accurate. Around a minute and a half in things get super chill and peels it back to instrumentals-only until 2:30 when the song begins to swell at 3:10 and fizzles out by 3:49. "Void" is the shortest track at 3:17, but don't let that fool you because this isn't a rip-roaring song. Instead, it spends the majority of its time drifting on gently passing waves, getting faster for only a short while near the end of the track. It's also one of the best songs on here. Closer "Species" goes all over the place vocally, with a sugary-sweet midwestern emo/shoegaze instrumental section in the first half and a booming, bass heavy second half.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2017 - ...and always digitalLP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2017) AND ALWAYS - "Species" (from '...and always')

(2017) AND ALWAYS - "Void" (from '...and always')

(2017) AND ALWAYS - "Blank" (from '...and always')

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AND ALWAYS additional links

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