As more and more electronic elements slowly seep into more extreme musical territories, it is already flagrantly apparent that the combination has become rather tiresome. Whilst introducing some occasional synth florishes or a dub step drop can be fantastic, what they can't do is bail out an inheritly poor song. Which unfortunatley sees '+//- (Polarties)', the sophomore effort from (surprisingly enough) Utah's Everyone Dies In Utah, unequivocally post-hardcore by numbers.
The issue here is the utterly forgettable nature of the songs. Whilst all the characteristics for success are served up in spades, the djenty pummeling in opener 'Factor X', the shimmering introspectivisms of 'The Glowing Core Through The Glass Door' or 'You Are Now Manually Breathing' and its driving chorus, even after repeated listens nothings sticks.
This may stem from the fact that the tracks are, for the most part, put together with a painful predictability. The breakdown/chorus formula is, amoungst those distracting electronic flutters, adhered to so rigidly that we quickly begin to realize we have heard this all before, and although there is no denying what we are left with is listenable, it is also regretably dull.
If '+//- (Polarties)' was to have one saving grace however, it would be the surprisingly profound ballad 'Simply Me/2' which tugs at the heart strings with some towering melodies and some glistening atmospherics.
Ultimately though, Everyone Dies In Utah have turned in a release which does little to stand out from the deluge of cut and paste post-hardcore masses. With some seldom flashes of promise here, there may be hope for them yet, but on this evidence much work is to be done in order for the band to carve out an individual niche in which for them to thrive.
