Saturday 9 December 2017

CHALK HANDS

BandCHALK HANDS
GenresPunk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artistsAmber Daybreak, Chromes, The Mitch Bukkake Last Tango, Farm School Holocaust, Howls, I Feel Fine and FVNERALS.
CountryBrighton U.K.
Years Active2017-present
Song: "Arms"
Album: "Burrows & Other Hideouts"
Year: 2017
For fans ofEnvy, Shizune, Viva BelgradoVi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket, Descubriendo A Mr. Mime, Young Mountain, La Parade, Yarostan, Leveless, Mira, Shirokuma, Rainmaker, Sed Non Satiata, Pettersson, Aporia, Monte Ida, ByMySide, Vivre Sa Vie, Massa Nera, Masada, We Never Learned To Live, Rinoa, ØjneMarée Noire and Amber Daybreak aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Future Void Records / Dekaden
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #7.
You can download: the December 2017 Mix#12 right here or get the new January 2018 Mix#1 here.

A few months back CHALK HANDS sent me their debut two-track EP called 'Burrows & Other Hideouts' and in a seemingly unrelated post about a month ago I reviewed Amber Daybreak - only to be told that the two bands have the same vocalist! After moving away from Belgium, Antoine rooted in the U.K. and joined CHALK HANDS. Their atmospheric and epic screamo post-hardcore with screamed/spoken vocals sounds akin to ShizuneViva Belgrado and Monte Ida using lush, ambient and towering builds that climax not unlike Japanese greats Envy.

'Burrows & Other Hideouts' is an exceptional EP, but it's too short, goddamn it. Seriously though, if this was four songs it would probably have made my year-end list, but with two it's gonna be hard. That being said both tracks together almost reach the 10-minute mark so perhaps I should shut my stupid trap. Opener "Burrows" begins quite chill and picks up just before 1:30 with an amazingly epic guitar lead and subsequent descent into dark, heaving post-hardcore. It relaxes soon after, but by 2:40 a nice, dominant guitar solo takes hold and leads the song to its climax at 3:25. I think Shizune and Sed Non Satiata are excellent anchor points, although CHALK HANDS expands on that with a further, melodic extreme coupled with spacey riffs that almost bring to mind Yarostan and 'The Satellite Years'-era Hopesfall. "Arms" is an epic, sweeping track that brings to mind Envy sprinkled with Young Mountain. A sweet, driving intro transitions as the first minute ends with a short and fast bit with vocals, before settling back down again with swirling riffs and expansive audio waves. It is slow in its subsequent ascent, but at 3:45 you are rewarded with a towering close to both the song and the release.

I know CHALK HANDS plan on releasing new material in early 2018, and regardless of the amount of songs that end up coming out, there's no doubt that I'll be lapping it up.

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2017 - Burrows and Other Hideouts cd/cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

________________________________________

(2017) CHALK HANDS - "Arms" (from 'Burrows and Other Hideouts')

(2017) CHALK HANDS - "Burrows" (from 'Burrows and Other Hideouts')

________________________________________

CHALK HANDS additional links


________________________________________

No comments:

Post a Comment