EP Review: ‘HOPE/WELL’ by The Danger of Falling
‘Hope/Well’ EP Art by The Danger of Falling
Artist: The Danger of Falling
Genre: Metalcore / Melodic Hardcore
Label: Unsigned
Track list: ‘Hope / Well’ (EP, 2018)
"Threading / Chapter"
"Still / Vacant"
"Distant / Despair"
"Her / Being"
"Myself / Alone"
Review:
'Hope / Well' . the debut EP from The Danger of Falling, a young Melodic Passion Hardcore band out of Morgantown, WV, is an extremely well-crafted album and a captivating adventure through the lens of what are presumably intimate personal moments. The record encapsulates emotions such as loneliness, agony, personal anger, and glimpses of understanding of the world around in such a way that does not appear as a tale of woe, but rather a delicate and heartfelt description of an inner struggle to cope and continue on as best life allows. 'Chin up and keep moving' - a motto many can relate to.
The album, 'Hope / Well', opens with an artistically crafted instrumental in "Threading / Chapter" which soothingly lures you into the album until the crackling vocals of Lucas Smith snap you back to reality. The lyric, "Am I still vacant...?" from "Still / Vacant" , echo to the deepest part of any human who has ever spent time pondering their own self existence. Stylistically by track 2 of 5, The Danger of Falling, has all the makings of an established early to mid 2000's metalcore/hardcore sound which many music fans can immediately relate to. The momentum dissipates momentarily, however as "Distant / Despair" is a well placed continuation of the consistent energy and passion, which can describe the entire album. The chorus of 'Distant / Despair' is the first technical exploration of what could be considered an anthem track for TDOF. No doubt this song is a top favorite at live shows - inducing a frenzy of crowd surfing fans wailing along at the top of their lungs to the lyrics:
"O' the long and distant despair
The loneliness we share
I was reaching out
I was holding on
Just to feel your grace once more"- from "Distant / Despair"
The final tracks, "Her / Being", and "Myself / Alone", embody everything that we were hoping The Danger of Falling would bring to this album after hearing the first half. Once again, the atmospheric instrumentals are directly contrasted with the lyrical potency shoved directly in your face by Smith's abrasive vocals, but it fits so well. Something inside stirs as this musical tsunami fades out with the quietly repeated lyrics "Bury the thoughts inside my head because my chest is caving in". There is a discomforting peace in these dissolving vocals which resigns the listener to the acceptance of defeat, that this is the end, however that is a momentarily deceitful respite with 'Myself / Alone' left. By now in the album, TDOF have undeniably perfected and proven their expertise with the layering of contrasting vocal duet: lyrical cleans working themselves in above, and eventually fading out, over echoing background screams. This. Is. Everything. The momentous build through the final track, tactfully utilizing the pained and drawn out vocals by Smith, audibly demonstrates the culmination of the emotional turmoil which has been looming until this point. Some bands choose in these moments to blow the listener away and bring their heaviest sound for a supposedly "memorable closure" - you won't find that here. Instead, the band forges ahead with their oscillating sound which they have played out to this point and close with a haunting echo:
"I've been dreaming
I've been locked in a box
For the past two centuries
Forced to find myself, alone"- from "Myself / Alone"
The poise with which The Danger of Falling draws you out of the last 14 minute emotional landslide they brought about is comparable to that of any veteran act. There is no question throughout this album that any detail of the band's vision was lost through the production process for "Hope / Well". This album is a perfected Melodic Hardcore composition - music fans, take note. For being 2 years old, released in 2016, this album can hold its own outright in the current scene. As of this past week, we now know that that more music is in the future for TDOF, (potential winter 2018-19 release?), but until then we have this gem to hold onto: 'Hope / Well' - the passionate art of The Danger Of Falling.