Review Summary: Is Brigades attempt at the genre worth the wait? Well sadly, not quite.
The point where pop punk meets hardcore has been crowded for years, with only a few bands being able to truly capture the perfect combination of the two genres. Finding the correct mix between pop punk and hardcore can be difficult because of this oversaturation, but that doesn’t stop new bands from giving it a try, like Brigades. The South Carolina natives have recently unleashed their debut record Indefinite via Pure Noise Records, but is their attempt at the genre worth the wait? Well sadly, not quite.
Indefinite begins with the title track, which serves as an interesting opener. The song is one of the shorter cuts from the album, but acts as a good introduction to the band if you haven’t heard them before. Fast paced drumming and variations in vocal delivery from lead singer Darren Young keeps the listener hooked and ready for more. The subsequent cut from the album ‘Knife Party’ is one of the highlights from the entire record. Great musicianship and heartfelt lyrics provide a platform for new fans to really be drawn in and connect with the band. ‘Knife Party’ acts as a perfect storm for Brigades, with the drums rolling through parts of the song like distant thunder, whilst the guitars act as the lightning; powerful, yet beautiful.
Brigades continues to tick a number of boxes for fans of the genre on the remainder of Indefinite, with the track ‘The Difference’ being another positive for the band. ‘The Difference’ showcases crunchy guitar riffs and infectious melodies incorporated into a slightly slower song. The lyrics found on Indefinite are a big advantage for Brigades, with lead singer producing some fantastic memorable lines and catchy lingering vocal moments for listeners of the genres to grasp on to. The latter half of the album meanders a bit, with a few tracks acting as filler until the closer ‘Cyanide Chaser’. For any album let alone a debut release, it’s imperative that the album goes out on a strong note and that is exactly what Brigades have done. The closer ‘Cyanide Chaser’ combines haunting atmospheric guitar tones, soaring vocals and the catchiest chorus on the record to cap things off.
Overall, the band has created a decent enough debut album that plays to their strengths and will require multiple spins to enjoy. The guitars and vocals lead from the front, but the drumming can be fairly stock standard at times. Unfortunately, the main underlying problem of Indefinite is that the album feels dated by about ten years or so. Brigades sound great musically speaking, but largely just don’t have enough of their own unique qualities to stand out from the rest of the genre. However, Brigades does exude a large amount of talent and hopefully their future releases will grow and transform the band into something much bigger.
