Stoke based Emo-punk fourpiece ‘The Overcast’ are on the edge of releasing their debut EP ‘Still Suffer’ on Friday 26th January 2018. With 5 new tracks, have The Overcast created something that lives up to their previous singles?
Well it’s clear from the onset that some of the tracks such as ‘Smother’ and ‘Still Suffer’ offer a familiar, reminiscent style to The Overcast’s previous singles. ‘Smother’ is a fast opener, but does appear a little smothered in comparison to the rest of the EP. Yet, while the choruses do get a little lost, the track clearly rises back up through an excellent slower bridge build up, creating a nice little twist to the track.
But the real standouts fall in the trio of tracks ‘Through The Night’, ‘Caustic Soul’ and ‘Nervous Wreck’. ‘Through The Night’ brings forward a groovier, fast paced overlay to the track while also incorporating a belting powerful progressive chorus that we expect from The Overcast. The eccentric contrast of the chorus and the bridge makes this song truly make an impact and leave a lasting impression through the EP. ‘Caustic Soul’ interestingly brings a melodic ‘miserable caustic soul’ style chorus (which we’ve acknowledged is something The Overcast will never fail to bring) and little harmonies hidden through the pre-chorus. For a track on the darker side of things, The Overcast put on a happy shell, but as you dig deeper in the track, the true creativity really starts to shine.
However, the stripped back ‘Nervous Wreck’ embraces the melancholic melodies of ‘Still Suffer’ in a way that can give off its true emotive style. While it is the only track that follows the simpler, stripped back style, the choice only makes the impact of the differing song more poignant. Not too different from the EP that it sticks out too much, but sits perfectly as that little soul wrenching hidden gem of the EP.
The Overcast haven’t failed to make a good lasting impression on this track. With some real standout tracks, the upcoming band have created an EP is definitely worth your time.
Rating: 7.5/10
EUPHORIA OF BREAKDOWN 