Newcastle mob North Seasons have taken it upon themselves to make people fall in love with the hardcore scene all over again. And, to be honest, they must be doing something right; their brand of melodic hardcore has received airplay on Scuzz TV and Kerrang! radio, before Los Angeles based label Kill/Hurt Recordings signed them. And now, with the release of their latest EP ‘Eyes For the Blind’, this quintet are coming to take the crown within the hardcore scene.
Opener ‘…’ is an eerie, tense, and atmospheric instrumental track, before giving way to ‘Silhouettes’. Coarse and abrasive riffs are absolutely huge within this track and are but a mere taste of what this talented bunch has to offer. During this song, vocalist Harvey Tuck boasts his strong vocals, which are incredibly reminiscent of Heart In Hand’s Charlie Holmes. The contrast in his rough-hewn growls and melodic cleans is astounding; in particular, his clean vocals are an absolute delight to hear, especially when combined with guitarist Mattie Turner’s strong vocals.
As they move into ‘A New World Order’ and ‘Bitter’, it’s clear that these guys are a tight-knit unit, with killer riffs that absolutely shake you to the core combined with thunderous drum work. ‘Good News’ is testament to that, which sees them using big hooks reel listeners in, while ‘Never Forget This’ is a striking track. Their songs are just so huge, that comparisons to metal heavyweights Bring Me the Horizon and Bury Tomorrow don’t seem silly – they’re right to be compared to such acts.
As they close with ‘Eyes for the Blind’, another song that keeps the adrenaline rushing, it’s safe to say that North Seasons are an incredibly exciting band that people need to keep an eye on. With their fresh outlook and approach to the melodic hardcore scene, it won’t be long until they’re destroying venues up and down the country, and further.
JESS TAGLIANI