Listen to the full record on bandcamp and pre-order the 12” here
Every one who is connected to the heavy music world is aware of the myriad strata of genres and sub-genres that have jutted up from the mid-70s up through time to the very present. Often times these new genres appear because of someone’s concentrated efforts to eschew an already existing form of music either by incorporating elements from disparate genres or by some logical progression of common themes and tropes. Similar to this boundary pushing is the ever present recycling of ideas and influences which seems to be occurring at a faster and faster rate lately. Typically we do not see the impact of a wave of music until a decade or so has passed but lately “the wave” has been washing bands onto the digital shores with influences from within a very recent history. Truth be told, many of the biggest figures in the screamo revival fall flat for me but a new challenger appears. Barrow, hailing from my own home state of North Carolina, have just completed one of the most impressive caches of emotional hardcore to appear in the NC heavy-music treasury since Beloved’s 2003 swansong Failure On. With plenty of elbow grease and humility, Barrow should find themselves in a highly esteemed position to anyone with state pride and could, with time come to be hallowed in the greater realm of post-00s post-hardcore. As if these already glowing words are not enough: let’s dig a little deeper.
Barrow step out boldly on Being Without with “Where I Was.” The tone is set quickly as the bass notes of an arpeggiated chord shift up and down over a tremulous guitar wavering in the background for just a short period before both launch into a familiar but pummeling rhythm. Child-like wonder at the world is not only expressed lyrically with phrases like “where has the time gone? where do the days go when they leave us?” It is also delivered very well by the soaring melodies and cadences that are a testament to the quartet’s ability to not only unleash unbridled passion but also their dedication to constructing something of quality. If there is anything that a listener should take away from Being Without it is apparent that Barrow find no difficulty in articulating themselves; both musically and lyrically. The trudging yet hypnotizing “Monochromatic” takes off like a rocket ship with just as many whirring and humming sound effects as a sci-fi. This astronomical sound could be paired up with some of the most impressive elements of Rosetta’s “School of Neur-ISIS” tome Wake/Lift but expressed effectively in just a few short minutes. One of the most exciting moments this record has to offer is in the seamless flow that follows into a bouncing math-rock guitar line that draws comparisons to Tera Melos in “Stretching Arms, Shaking Hands”. The same track plays host to another pleasant surprise when the song breaks into a lulling melody impressively accented with violin trills that called to my mind the best parts of Sufjan Stevens indie opus Illinois. This little flair only failed for me in regards to the possibilities of orchestration it suggested that were not followed through with. So far I have highlighted the experimental capabilities of Barrow and made references to far flung reaches of post-rock-gone-hardcore and even beyond the heavy music sphere entirely and you might be thinking this record is not for you but wait just a second. You might ask: where does this band fit in the current “wave” of screamo? Well, if I could control the buzz that surrounds this record, I would amp it up and make sure its value is blasted across the web to make sure every kid blowing the Pianos Become the Teeth horn halts their acclaim, if at least briefly, to raise these newcomers to their shoulders in jubilant celebration. Purists might rejoice to some extent, as at times Barrow squalls and jangles like Daïtro and soars like Envy. I was personally surprised at the evident kinship this record shares with As Cities Burn’s sophomore record Come Now Sleep which masterfully incorporated dazzling guitar work and strong rock hooks. Barrow are a band fully aware of their lineage but not limited by lame attempts to emulate it to excess.
“In Blight and Boast” and “The Undertow” bowl the listener over with Barrow’s astonishing attention to detail as a towering structure of guitar parts is laced together over a deep foundation. Occasionally moments on Being Without are glossed over by the warm, rich tone which can be a little demanding for anyone not use to digging through big layers and swathes of guitar to really hear the nuts and bolts of a record. This underplays the drummer’s role a little unfairly which makes intentionality that much more important when things drop drop down dynamically. “Ashen, Pallid” closes the album as verbosely and dynamically as ever with all the effects stacked high. The guitars explore every permutation and inversion. The layers that have carefully been woven together throughout Being Without unravel all at once in just under a minute as a violin squeals and a duo of frantic voices race to exorcise their own demons. The last few cathartic moments of this record alone should make any obstinate skramz kid shudder like the chills you feel when someone steps on your grave. Barrow have conducted an avalanche with a kind of poise and grace not seen very often in the hardcore and screamo world. If this record doesn’t have you slobbering and chomping at the bit to hear more then you must already be dead.
(Source: facebook.com)
