Album Review: Bane - '7.58am Perth'

14 February 2010 | 1:48 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Bane are back.

Massachusetts hardcore veterans Bane are back with their first new recorded material since their 2005 release “The Note”. The six new tracks have been pressed on vinyl for a number of different releases on different labels, with Sydney’s Resist Records putting all six tracks onto an EP.

The opening track “The Bold And The Beautiful” starts off with exactly what you can expect from a Bane record. The song is full of energy; the guitars are fast yet melodic at the same time, and vocalist Aaron Bedard chimes in with his distinctive vocals. The breakdown mid way through the song is sure to get people moving during the band’s live performances. The following track “As The World Turns” highlights the band’s songwriting ability. The way the band can keep their songs interesting, where other band’s playing this style of hardcore often fail to do, put’s Bane miles ahead of the rest of the pack. The clean singing part in the song done by the band’s guitarist Zach Jordan doesn’t sound out of place at all, it gives the song a bit of variety to stand out from the others.

The Guiding Light” follows a similar formula to the songs before it; the song wouldn’t sound out of place on any of the previous Bane releases. The next track “Another World” is one of the strongest tracks on the EP. Lyrically this could be one of the best song’s Bedard has written, I recommend getting your hands on one of the lyrics sheets and reading along with this song. The band’s guitarist Jordan chips in with another clean singing line before the band hits their aggressive peak.  The fast paced “One Life To Live” is the shortest song on the record, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t quality. The song keeps the record’s energy at a high before kicking into the final song. “The Young And The Restless” is the slowest song on the record, and it is one of the best. The guitars in this song sound huge, some of the best riffs on the EP are in this song. This song is the perfect way to end the record.

Lyrically, Bedard hasn’t lost his touch over the years. The lyrics on this EP are as good as ever, if not some of the strongest he has ever written. The production by Jay Maas (Carpathian, Verse, Shipwreck A.D) isn’t anything amazing, but it is definitely effective. The overall sound of the record is great, which adds another release to the quality that Maas has been producing over the years.

The only disappointing thing about the release is its duration. With the band not releasing anything since 2005, some fans may find themselves hungry for more some Bane songs, and feeling slightly disappointed that this release is only six tracks in length.

Bane have produced another solid release, maintaining their position at the top of the melodic hardcore pack. Let’s hope the band can make it back to Australia this year.

1. The Bold And The Beautiful

2. As The World Turns

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3. The Guiding Light

4. Another World

5. One Life To Live

6. The Young And The Restless