Review Summary: Memories
Do you ever wish that sometime before their hiatus announcement that Thrice had upped and said to hell with their roots rock revivalist influences that consumed their last two albums (well, two and a half considering the
Earth disc of
The Alchemy Index) and instead combined their spacier affections with the aggressive but oh so catchy moments of their first few records? Well, luckily for that bit of nostalgia trimmed pipe dreamer in every post-hardcore fan The Victor Ship's newest EP
Contes De Fees is exactly that – the sound of everything worth remembering from 2000's post-hardcore rolled into one tightly wound package. It's hard to pinpoint just one direct influence, as they are worn a little loosely on their sleeves, but it runs the gamut from The Receiving End of Siren's club sized stadium antics, Circa Survive's intricate spiderweb cadences, and Jupiter-era Cave In's space odyssey ambiance. Driven in equal part by the churning sonicscapes that cascade and collide in beautiful bursts and the dual vocal approach of guitarist Matt Battaglia and drummer Chris Buongiorno
Contes De Fees is a delicate and delectable crescendo of shimmer radiance with just a touch of brute force. Take for example the opening track “Why Do You Hoard?”, with it's angular riffing sucking you in and the closing vocal harmonies spitting you back out in a massive sing-a-long chant that, while familiar, is downright enchanting. These connections of moments and memories spiral through the near 30 minute EP, unfolding like a map of a genre past but still holding on to the unique feeling as if it was heard for the first time.
With the popular wing of post-hardcore devolving into a indistinguishable mush of neon, it's a great sight that The Victor Ship have taken the banner left by some of the genre's most beloved acts and have progressed it into a new decade.
