Description
3 studio tracks from this Philly metal/punk band’s upcoming LP plus some exclusive live tracks.
Our take: Philadelphias Early Graves debut LP is coming later this year, and this tape previews three tracks from that release and significantly increases the value-for-money ratio by tacking on a full live set featuring even more songs from the upcoming album. While this tape may seem like a stopgap release, Ive been letting it run on repeat while Im working, and its really gotten its hooks in me. In particular, listening to the live songs next to the studio tracks has been enlightening. Early Graves M.O. is writing catchy, old-school punk/hardcore songs and imbuing them with atmospheric touches borrowed from various strains of underground metal, and the two parts of the tape showcase how strong both those elements are. The live recording is very bass-heavy and reveals the songs solid bones, particularly the rumbling yet catchy bass lines that serve as most songs center of gravity. Early Graves bassist, Cassidy, was Devil Masters original bassist (shes been in many other bands over the years too), and her knack for crafting eerie yet driving bass lines is on full display. Then the tape flips back around to the studio tracks, and you realize how layered and detailed they are, dressing up that raw punk skeleton with a more precise execution and a host of subtle but impactful overdubs. I dont think I noticed the atmospheric synth lurking in the background of Evil Terror until like my fifth listen, though I felt its impact on the songs haunting atmosphere well before I noticed it. Maybe the upcoming album release will render the studio portion of this cassette obsolete in a few months, but in the meantime this will get a ton of play.
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