I’ve waited a long time for this record. When I first heard the demos on the band’s myspace I was floored by the sheer awesomeness of the songs – a bit like the overwhelming feeling I got when I first heard Over It. Anchors For Arms remind me of early Over It if you mixed them with Rufio and Slick Shoes – this is a band that mixes pedal-to-the-metal speed with vocal harmonies and choruses to the max. You want singalongs and RIFFS? You got ’em.
With tracks like ‘Dead Weight’ which peel off riffs from all angles and machine-gun drums mixed with vocals with more leap than a high-jumper with springs in his shoes, this is a record that doesn’t simply rely on balls out speed. I mean ‘Machines’ and ‘The Roots’ are fast and furious, but the band are at their best when they mix it up – and the dynamics are nailed on at all times. The slowness of ‘No Gravity’ eventually picks up into an absolute behemoth of a tune, while ‘Explosions’ takes time to get going before it eventually rips.
Like Belvedere, Bigwig, Rufio and a shitload of tech pop-punk bands? Then be prepared to let Anchors For Arms into your life like a long lost family member. Because this band are vital.