Besides New York hardcore family, there is also thriving punk scene beneath the ground. Vermillion are hailing from Long Island, NY and this is their brand new EP. This one contains five songs. Music of Vermillion is raw sounding punk rock with lots of street punk influences, also riot grrrl especially in singer’s voice which is phenomenal. Her voice can shout, scream, sing melodic clean lines and change in a second. ‘Needle Up My’ is raw punk with almost grungy feel and superb clean anthemic chorus made for singing along. ‘Vocal Retake’ is more straight forward pure punk song with great main vocal line melody and also dual backing vocal harmony making it with its energy and melody one of my favorites on this one. It also has double bass drumming if I hear it right and reminded me a bit of Bad Cop/Bad Cop in some parts. ‘Send You To Hell’ is short but sweet outburst of hardcore punk anger and speed, topped with screaming vocals. ‘Vermillion’ is more slower, ballad with great chorus ‘I want you dead’ just made for singing along and having that melody to make goosebumps on your skin. ‘Halloween’ has that raw hardcore punk speed back again reminding us that this band is capable for hardcore energy along with gentle melodies. Good one.
Something’s Cursed are from Queens, New York and this is their new release. This one contains five songs of emotional melodic punk rock with some pop punk and even horror punk influences in some songs. The songs are mainly mid tempo with some more aggressive up tempo excursions like in awesome I Remember That Fall, one of my personal favorites on this little record. Vocals are nice, remind me at times of Greg from Bouncing Souls, some music too. The songs are really written nice with some memorable melodies that you catch yourself humming or whistling afterwards not even realizing that this is from this little release. Lyrics are personal and songs like Cigarettes & Therapy or maybe Societal Lobotomy are about to win you over. Good punk rock.
Lead vocalist, Benjamin, recounts his feelings at the time of the construction of “Wayward”: “This track, in a way, was a milestone to both me personally and the band, when we wrote it it was one of our first batch of songs we have ever written. It’s a reflection of my life and how growing up with loss affects a young impressionable person. It was also a chance for us to see how melodic we could go at the time. It is one of my favorite songs to play because it carries this energy to it that builds through it”.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 