(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): PAPER SKELETONS

Thursday 30 July 2015

PAPER SKELETONS

Band: PAPER SKELETONS

Genres: Punk / Screamo / Hardcore / Skramz / Emo
Related artists: ?.
Country: Bridgewater, Massachusetts USA
Years Active: 2014-present
Song: "Hymn"
Album: "There is No Comfort"
Year: 2015
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the July 2015 Mix. This is track #7.
You can download: the June Mix#7 right here or get the new July 2015 Mix#8 here.
For fans of: Wolf Teeth, Loma Prieta, Eyes Of Verotika, D'Amore, Youth Novel, Youth Funeral, People's Temple Project, Gaff, Foxmoulder, Furtive Forest, Dear Tonight, GRYSCL, and Kodan Armada aka PROPER SCREAMO.

How often do you see a post on fb or whatever and the band looks like they could be decent or mediocre? It happens to me all the time and as I'm already submerged in a ridiculous amount of music I generally have to pass. I took a shot for some unknown reason when I came across PAPER SKELETONS on a facebook group somewhere and I was rewarded for doing so, cuz 'There is No Comfort' is a great album and superb debut.

Coincidentally, I didn't realize until doing back to back posts of Wolf Teeth and PAPER SKELETONS that both bands share many of the same qualities. I've found PAPER SKELETONS' "for fans of" list to be pretty weak mainly because they have a very distinct sound, which Wolf Teeth apparently share, making it a duostinct sound. Basically, there are occasional fits of positivity and playful riffing, but generally the band plays dark, gloomy and claustrophobic screamy hardcore with a rough edge that doesn't rely on speed to be heavy or hard hitting.

The instrumentals are decent, especially that distorted and damaging bass, but the injections of Kodan Armada-esque clean sections on guitar really get this reviewer in a good mood. As for the centerpiece, the vocalist, he uses a part sing, part talk and part scream thing (especially in "Hymn") that is really cool and ends up sounding extremely honest and passionate, while retaining heaviness as well as a catchy melody.

Speaking of "Hymn" it's definitely one of the best tracks on the album. The band builds a great setting to gradually build to some explosive moments that the vocalist utilizes to his advantage. The slow passage that begins at 1:12 sounds a heck of a lot like Furtive Forest as I picture dense, swampy forests filled with bats in the daytime. That strange analogy means it's good. Really, really good.

"Deconstruction" begins with some uncharacteristic (but amazing) dual screaming and chaos before slowing down to a snail's pace that is graced with bass (say that three times fast) amidst dispersed screaming. The track eventually breaks down and ends as a wall of reformed noise.

"Unfamiliar Ceilings" is a very aggressive song that brings some other bands to mind, but for the life of me I can't think of who. City Of Caterpillar? Orchid? Nah, not really. I just know it's a pounding, thumping and screeching piece of screamy hardcore and it's fucking awesome.

Don't sleep on this band, I'm highly anticipating their next release.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2015 - There is No Comfort LP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2015) PAPER SKELETONS - "Deconstruction" (from 'There is No Comfort')