uponbrokenapologies - Demonstration Of Pain and Sadness

I have recently been on a big metalcore kick. I don't know if it is wanting to relive some kind of younger glory days or realizing this is the genre that has always resonated the most with me. Now when I say metalcore, I am speaking purely of the late '90s to early 2000s when it was more hardcore bands writing more melodic riffs and less deep v-neck shirts and eyeliner that later took over the scene (not to say there weren't some standout bands from that era also).

While looking for something new to listen to this week, I stumbled upon this February 10, 2023, release from Boston's uponbrokenapologies, and it scratches the exact itch I've needed scratched. I was instantly grabbed by the art and font used for the band name and album title, as it was an absolute nostalgia bomb, and I wasn't sure if it was new or something that had slipped under my radar for years.

This is a three-song EP that has me wanting a full-length as soon as possible. The fact that this is a record comprised of only two people is truly impressive; it has such fullness that shows both members know their craft and their source material to build strong songs. The opening track, "Blood On My Hands," has the chaos of a Converge song with the catchiness of the "This is Love, This Is Murderous" era Bleeding Through. The second track, "Self-Destruction," brings me back to the grange hall/Knights Of Columbus hall shows of my youth. It starts with a Metallica-style drum section and then goes straight into pure metallic hardcore gold. The album closer, "In Carnage And Your Demise," does one of my favorite tropes of the genre, opening with a sample, and this one happens to be from The Dark Knight, which fits the track perfectly. This is probably my favorite track; it has a great breakdown, and the clean vocals with the guitar solo behind them is just pure nostalgia for me and executed at such a high caliber that this band would have fit in back in the heyday of this scene but also fit in on their own merit in today's scene.

Uponbrokenapologies states "Real Metalcore Shit" in their Bandcamp description for this album, and truly they sum the record up with that amazingly. This is top-tier metalcore that I feel any fan of the genre would be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about. Lastly, it being recorded and mixed in Maine really got me excited; I love seeing bands coming up here to record great music!

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For more on uponbrokenapologies, visit the following links: Instagram | Spotify