Review Summary: Undeniably fun, yet relatively tame, Bearfighter's "Vices" shows lots of promise while not fully living up to it.
In the town of Lafayette, Louisiana, there is a small hole in the wall place called Frankie’s Burgers. Frankie’s is the main local venue for the local hardcore scene, heck, it’s pretty much the only venue for the local hardcore scene. It was in this modest place where I was first blown away by the southern hardcore band, Bearfighter.
Bearfighter plays a blend of southern rock and hardcore that focuses mainly on being extremely fun, almost like Every Time I Die. Don’t take these guys for an ETID clone, though; they achieve a sound all their own by adding a little poppiness to most of their songs that could give them a more widespread appeal. However, that’s not to say that they can’t be in your face; the intro for “Swampthing Since ‘86” and the song “Looky Looky I Got Hooky” are the best examples of the aggression Bearfighter is capable of.
One huge aspect of Bearfighter’s appeal is the singer, Destin Ortego. While his forced style of screaming may not appeal to everyone, his clean vocals are quite attractive (but not mind-blowing), and they add flair to the songs. On the songs “Pyromania” and “Dorothy the Show Girl,” his voice lends emotion and appeal to the poppier, sing-along style of the tracks.
For all the good things about this EP, there are some downsides. The guitars, while they do a good job of setting the mood and sound, are not all that impressive. Furthermore, it just doesn’t have enough lasting appeal. Sure, you might listen to it constantly at first, but then it becomes one of those “Oh, I haven’t listened to this in months” releases. The potential here is undeniable, but further refinement is needed if Bearfighter wants to be remembered.
Bearfighter could be on their way to becoming one of the big names in southern hardcore, then again, they could fade away without ever making a name for themselves. With this EP, they show lots of good signs, but still need some growth as a band. Vices may not be the best thing to ever happen to the genre, but it’s a hell of a good time.
