The English band Downers was formed early 2015 with members of Me Vs Hero, MOU and Six Ten Repeater. The EP Noose is their second release in a short time and includes three compositions between punk, shoegaze and rock. Compared to the previous EP, the sound is tighter, with influences from 90's grunge. Partly as a result of their varied input, much is expected from Downers, and so we take the time to listen extensively to Noose.
Gaze starts with heavy guitars and sharp drumming, over which singer Bobby Pook (formerly Me Vs Hero) spreads his dreamy and melodious vocals: an attractive nostalgic trip on childhood memories that grabs you by the throat, floating on distorted and repetitive sounds, at times suddenly interrupted to enhance the effect. A beautiful and melodic rock song as a wink to Smashing Pumpkins.
Erased begins with quiet vocals and a subtle atmospheric guitar sound, but soon after the guitars build a wall of grunge sounds, making the track a lot bolder and more violent than its predecessor. The transition between the peaceful and the violent passages happens seemingly without problems and has a direct bearing on the text, because it is about a dream in which the main character evolves from visible to invisible. I Will not be erased!, Pook sings in his struggle against the inevitable. A very special track, structurally sturdy and surprisingly nicely played.
Grown Out is by far the strongest and loudest track on the EP, with an intensity reminiscent of Nirvana, with dreamy vocals and a shoegaze-like feel, later hardening, with screaming vocals that tend to metal: a solid rock song.
Only three songs on this EP, but still an impressive release, which fuses punk, shoegaze, grunge and rock to raw, energetic and at the same time touching compositions. Watch out for Drowners!
Track listing:
1. Graze
2. Erased
3. Grown Out
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