Bands like Emarosa were a huge part of my late teens and early twenties. Call it post-hardcore, call it alternative, call it emo, it doesn’t matter, the majority of us went through a time where bands like Circa Survive, Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday, Brand New and Emarosa got us through the day.
The most incredible part about Emarosa’s evolution is the fact that they have continued to make great music despite having several changes to their band. Thankfully though, the band added vocalist Bradley Walden in 2013 and he seems to have stuck and it’s for good reason. Vocals in the genre aren’t always known for their precision, but Walden is certainly an exception. The addition of some relatively pop-like rhythms on this latest release, 131 showcase his versatility like never before.
Lead guitarist, ER White and keyboardist, Jordan Stewart have been the two constant parts of Emarosa since their inception and they deserve a ton of credit for pushing forward with this project regardless of whatever bumps in the road have come along. 131 may be a relatively softer (emphasis on relatively) release than we’ve heard from them in the past, but this doesn’t come with a loss of quality. The opening track “Hurt” will immediately ease any concerns you may have had before listening to the album as the desperation in Walden’s voice provides listeners with a level of familiarity. “Cloud 9” consists of a throwback (are we actually considering the early 2000’s a throwback now?) sound, which is great for those of us who love a little nostalgia.
As a nice added touch, Walden’s wife Meeko lends her voice to the track “Never” while Jason Vena (Acceptance) joins the band for “Young Lonely”. 131 is a solid release from a band who always seems to impress us no matter what.
Listen to 131 via Spotify below
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