Album Review: Promises - 'Evergreen'

10 January 2014 | 12:25 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

A promising start.

Am I the only one who gets surprised when someone brings out a new CD? Who is buying CDs anymore? Seriously people just release vinyl or digital, be cool.

Anyway, Queensland's Promises have a new CD out titled 'Evergreen,' their debut full length, which they have spent the four years since their inception crafting. The band delivers some fairly down the line hardcore, rounded out with plenty of melody and emotion. But be clear, they are doing absolutely nothing new, in any way. They are however, pretty good at staying true to the existing rules of hardcore in a enjoyable way.

The short and to-the-point opener 'Signet' kicks off the aggression and energy that doesn't let up until the tried and failed acoustic mid-point 'Twelve Months', a track that gets points for trying to be different but ruins itself with the typical room mic screamed vocals. The thing that this band are probably best at, which happens a few times during the record, is the anthemic point that songs can reach, an example is the end of 'Lochview'. Walls of swaying guitars and dragged out drums lines convey the emotive peak of the track well.

Songs like 'Condolences' sound a little bit like Defeater on steroids thanks to the vocal phrasing, the guitars also switch from an abrasive hardcore sound to palm muted rock riffs fairly seamlessly. The record standout however is 'New Ground'. If the band wrote all of their tunes like that they would probably put a head above the swarm of other hardcore bands contending for the limelight. The sparse beginnings of the track crash into the huge chorus lines brilliantly, this song is a literal wave as it pulls back for its second verse with a touch more fervour.

The album closes out with 'Six Deaths', which is possibly a joke track or something? Either way, bad ending.

After listening to 'Evergreen' it is obvious that this it Promises' first full length and they have some ways to go. However, it is also obvious that these guys have the potential to become a decent, authentic hardcore band worth paying attention to in the future.

1. Signet

2. Dead Kingdom

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3. Presets

4. Fixtures

5. Lochview

6. Condolences

7. Twelve Months

8. Compass

9. New Ground

10. Like Dust

11. Helicon

12. Six Deaths