ODD PROMISE-THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING

As I sit here on this somber Sunday morning trying to figure out what to do with my day, I came across a post from Kevin Smith about creating something positive today because there are people that won’t get that choice, but we wil, so that hit home today as I have been in a funk recently and haven’t written anything in a while, so here we are.

For me music has always been that positive thing for me. It has always been a light on a dark world. The art that musicians make mean something to others. Going to live shows mean something. Hearing or seeing a band for the first time can spark something in someone that changes their life. That’s one of the many reasons I love music the way I do, and when I hear a band that does that, it’s a beautiful thing. Odd Promise is the latest to do that. This 4 piece post-hardcore band from Columbus, OH is on to something great.

The musicians that make up this unit are not new this, they all have been in other area bands. And you can hear those influences as well, especially the post-hardcore stylings of Sleep Jacket. When I listen to this EP, I am magically transported to a time between 2003 and 2006. Those years produced some really awesome bands, bands such as Four Letter Lie, A Thorn for Every Heart, Greely Estates, and Before Their Eyes. All bands that I loved dearly and that have played a part in my musical journey. That was an awesome time in my world, and I hear all those bands in this release. So yeah when I listen to this EP, it instantly puts a smile on my face, because I’m reminded of those times, and in a few years I will without a doubt say the same about Odd Promise.

This Changes Everything starts with a certified banger in the aptly titled “The Fucking Catalina Wine Mixer” and if you don’t know where that title comes from, just stop reading this right now. Anyways this is one hell of an opener. Right away we are introduced to the power that is Odd Promise. The guitars are loud and heavy, the drums are thundering, the bass is pumping, and the vocals are mind-altering. Let’s talk about those vocals for a second. I have always thought that Josh Dykes was an awesome vocalist, but it isn’t just Josh I am referring to here, it’s the backing vocals of Greg Jones and Tim Pishitelli. They very well could front their own bands. Anytime a band has that many members with that much talent on the mic, you know you are in for a treat and that’s what we have here. This is evident throughout the EP. They feed so well off each other and I love it.

With the next track, “Shellfish,” they pick up the pace a little, and there are more screams, which add to the dynamics of the song, especially when the screams are behind the clean vocals. They do it right. This is one that I catch myself wanting to come out of pit retirement for. It’s that heavy at times.

Next up is “Tempers & Typewriters.” This track starts off really slow, soft, and calm. But it doesn’t end that way. I like that it’s the middle of the EP, it gives the listener a “break” of sorts. It kind of has a nu-metal feel at the end, which is cool to hear. The other aspect that I enjoy about this song is you get to hear all three that sing, sing on their own at some point. That’s a nice little touch.

“You’re a Lemon, Leon” was the first single released from Odd Promise, and what a good single it is. It’s fast, aggressive, and right in your face. Josh Stroud is a machine on drums here. He is unhinged. This is what a first single should be, especially for a band that had been dormant for about a year. This was a great, “Hello, we’re back.”

“Passengers” closes out the EP. Much how I love a good opener, I also love a good closer. They deliver in great fashion here. It leaves the listener wanting more; I know I do. This very could be their most adventurous song as it is all over the place and crosses a few genres. It is arranged very well, and you will appreciate that. Overall, this is a very solid release, a nice welcome back. As the title of the EP is This Changes Everything, it truly does, everything is about to change for these four gentlemen. I hope they are ready for what’s to come.

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