Album Review: Departures - Without Fear EP

Since punk rock's revival in the 90s, the scene has tended to divide itself into re-defined genres with emo, hardcore, metalcore, pop-punk all taking decisively different directions. The attuned ear will have noticed the recent resurgence of americana-tinged punk rock, the niche genre that seems to remain closest to its roots. In this respect, Departures provide all the right elements and a little more...

Paced guitars: check. Snare bashing: check. All-out vocals: check. If that sounds like a platter of goodness to you then opening track 'ThoughtCrime' is likely to please. One the other hand, it doesn't go a lot further than that either but is merely a taster of what is to come. 'Gold Jacket' is the same all over again but with more space dedicated to the vocals and a beautiful middle-section brimming with lovely harmonies.

Past the opening two tracks though, we enter the real deal. 'Eight Years While You Were Dead' owes a lot to some driving rhythms to help create a soft tension that dissolves into a well-worked chorus. Departures take the same elements but seem to work around a few conventions and dab with a little shy experimentation, it's all for the best. Stand-out track 'Signals' showcases another intelligently written mid-tempo chorus that sears through some fast-paced punk rock but is interrupted by a welcome acoustic section that predicts the final storm, filled with gang-vocals, arpeggios, cymbals and enough emotion to fuel an Oscars' acceptance speech.

A short instrumental track of soothing interlaced-guitars backed by a crescendo of mixed noises brings the EP to a close with a cocktail of chaos and softness. It doesn't truly define Departures, but it's an effective ending to what is a solid set of punk rock tunes.

3.5/5

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James Berclaz-Lewis