Emarosa
131
Release Date: July 8, 2016
Producer: Casey Bates
Label: Hopeless Records
Long gone are the days of the Rise Records-era version of Emarosa. If you haven't accepted that vocalist Jonny Craig is no longer a member of the band, then you really need to move on with your life. Bradley Walden is an extremely capable fit for the now four-piece post-hardcore outfit, proving his vocal abilities and lyrical prowess when it shone through the material on Versus, the band's previous effort. 131 ushers in a new version of Emarosa, one that takes a few more risks than usual, but still maintains its soulful impact on listeners both through Walden's vocal stylings and the musicianship of guitarist ER White, keyboardist Jordan Stewart, and guitarist Marcellus (Matthew) Wallace. Many more cinematic elements are at play here, probably the most since the band's self-titled effort a few years ago. At the same time, the tracks still try and succeed at pushing some of the boundaries in today's post-hardcore landscape. At times, 131 doesn't feel like a traditional record in the genre, but I'm completely okay with that. It's something different. It sounds hauntingly gorgeous, and considering that a label like Hopeless Records has been more than willing to let their bands experiment and truly find their sound and identity, it feels like a perfect match has been made. Here's to the new era of Emarosa.
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