This is a harder, more technical release by pop punk band Grayscale. Songs of yesteryear had more of a pop punk feel. Now we’ve been treated to a blistering album called Umbra. Perfect in its execution, the record blooms and flourishes, and occasionally feels like a crutch for the disenfranchised. The band has always written and played with sincerity and pride, and as they grow they will only get better. Through turbulence, calm can come.
Umbra is fierce. It is explosive, and for it being a pop punk record, it is louder than normal. In its delivery, it sparks truth and rails against punk sensibilities. Not only does it do this, there’s also times when the album lowers the tempo to instil calmness. These musicians have fastened themselves up for the ride, and we as listeners should do the same.
Poppy hooks are also integrated. Choruses explain love turning sour. Veins rush with blood, and haze commits to the eyes. It seems different and the instrumental balance breaks the mould. Fantastic guitar solos improve the album, and they are a true gift. And Grayscale seems to have struck gold with Umbra, sourcing so much of their ideas from the cold world.
Umbra opens with the guitar driven, atmospheric, “Without You.” The technicalities excite, and the lyrics tell tales of broken trust. The solo breaks ground. “Motown” brims with eloquence. Temptation meets love. It has great harmony. “Dreamcatcher” goes along in the same vein. It chronicles a beaten down man who looks for a savior. That little echo of percussion augments the songs beautifully. “Carolina Skies” beams out like a battery charged torch, and love seems to be explored yet again. This time, optimism comes through the cracks.
Grayscale optimise their sound with Umbra. They don’t rip pages out of anyone’s book; they instil their own original ideas, and that is a commendable feat.
0 Comments