All Parallels by All Parallels

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All Parallels - All Parallels

A startlingly refreshing take on post-hardcore, All Parallels present an invigorating listen with their debut EP by combining emphatic vocals and driving rhythms in the vein of Glassjaw, Quicksand and Handsome with colorfully open ended song structures. Punchy and expressive, the band plow through a plethora of different emotions and pacings as they tackle material that lends itself more to creativity rather than commercial sensibility.

An elastic and extremely emotive delivery is offered up by band frontman/bassist Larry Chiswick, who can at times bring to mind shades of Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo. However, rather than become tangled in convoluted screams Larry tends to stick to curious melodies and harmonies which exude a strong sense of urgency. Strengthened by the occasional aggressive wail, the display of emotional restraint and lack of predictable mood swings causes the groups music to be all the more a unique experience. The edgy guitar riffs on hand only solidify this, employing a crunchy distortion to jack up the intensity level of the material when necessary and branching off into colorful harmonic lunges and ambitious buildups when not. Such structuring allows the large looming bass lines to swoop in and punctuate the songs with a confidently loose swagger that adds a great amount of drive while also forcefully underpinning the rhythm section. Completed by a crisp drumming performance that is hit hard and played with intricate variation and unexpected timing changes, the groups music is inspired and energetic, all while retaining a distinct bare bones rawness.

In essence the standout element of All Parallels is their keen song writing ability as the tracks included here are surprisingly wide ranging and at times almost even avant garde. Most bands who attempt a similar style follow the guidelines far too closely and only try to differentiate themselves with a few contrived post rock or emo interludes, but fortunately for the listener this trio are not most bands. Instead they choose to jump off into their own indulgent twists and turns that can go anywhere from gritty groove laden rock to uplifting melodic passages without employing gimmicks or the overt usage of effects. Indeed creative song writing is still alive and these boys seem to be quite fluent in the craft. Admittedly the material can feel a bit sparse at times and perhaps the songs haven't reached their full potential yet, but such qualities are easily overlooked when judging by the uniqueness this group possess in contrast to their peers out there today. Sure some of their influences may be noticeable and its not entirely a completely new spin on things, but that's also what gives them a lot of their charm. They're not just another flavor of the month emo/indie hybrid, rather they are a band that sound like they grew up on the scene and as such bring back fond memories of what the post-hardcore of the mid 90's was all about. A band with few equals in this day and age.

(4/5) - Wookubus

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