Review Summary: Expect the choruses to be BIG.
Everyone has heard of Rise Records. You know, the one's who somehow made
Attack Attack! famous? They're infamous for slopping out tedious metalcore releases from bands which have very little differentiating sounds. Every now and then (and thankfully it's been happening much more recently), Rise strays out of it's teen demographic safety zone to hit us with something a little different, from the sweet sounds of
Cheap Girls to the almost shocking signing of
The Bouncing Souls. Next on the agenda comes Daytrader, a band with a retro punk/emo sound.
The album noticeably sounds like something from the late 90s or early noughties. This isn't in anyway a bad thing. Opening track 'Deadfriends' will immediately draw you in to their style, further helped out by the fact that the chorus is just plain BIG. The vocals during the opening verse are very soft and effective, and the chorus hook will get you singing along after a few listens.
Once you've listened to that, you should have a rough idea of just how good the album is going to be. Filled up with catchy guitar riffs, big hooks and it's easy listening. It's punk, with a 90s emo edge. But the strongest point Daytrader has going for them is the vocals. Daytrader's vocalist is incredibly diverse, hitting a range of pitches and moving from quite and harmonious all the way up to strong and powerful. He has talent, without a doubt. This is truly setting a high bar for emo-punk vocals. Tracks like 'Lost Between the Coasts' certainly add an extra edge to the album, although the rest of the album is more of the same.
Daytrader have incredible potential. Their blend of modern punk and old school emo, combined with the stunning vocal performances, make a very enjoyable release. Sure, things can seem to drag at times, but there's the occasional pace-changing track that re-vitalizes their music. It's not perfect, but Daytrader have provided an overall fun debut that's easily digestible.
