The opening track to the album ‘Scars’ is downright heavy and infatuating. Both vocal parts from front men Brian Burkheiser and Eric Vanlerberghe tie this song together, making it enticing to the listener’s ears, an aggressive way to kick off the album ensuring upon first listen that I Prevail mean business.

The song following this is – ‘Stuck In Your Head’ – sounds rather out of place. It appeals to those after a break up, a relatable track catering to its young audience. Understandable and in typical I Prevail fashion, it pulls out another catchy singalong chorus.

Title track ‘Lifelines’ follows, reintroducing the heavier vocals and rhythms suffused throughout the album, preparing listeners for the tracks that follow: ‘Come and Get It’, ‘Rise’ and ‘Already Dead’. The album’s first few songs show major resemblances to their EP and it doesn’t show any progression, yet ‘Lifelines’ holds its own and shows the potential this band has.

It’s easy to see why they now have an ever-growing fan base. Their infectious fusions of hard-core breakdowns and snappy crowd-pleasing singalongs appeal to a wide ranged audience.

This album is enjoyable and has some of the most exciting riffs shown on a post-hardcore album in 2016. Variation is something to be explored in future projects as the similarity between this release and the last at some points were uncanny. I Prevail do have a unique sound and make sure it’s there’s yet contrast would benefit the album.

What is next for I Prevail? Still touring as always, taking them up to the end of the year. This album has been perceived well and has been a hit for this fairly new band. The future is there’s to capitalise on, let’s see if they can do it.

CHARLIE CONIBEAR

‘Wanna Feel You’ kicks the album off powerfully with its bluesy riff which instantly lets the listener in with an impact that abounds. Brown’s soaring tone is punctuated by notes of reverb, its enticing chorus and powerful vocals giving a very psychedelic vibe that carries on throughout the album.

‘Inside’ is one of the stand out tracks on this record by far, perfect if you want a song to get you pumped. ‘Hero’ is another strong track, pushing its rhythm section to the limits. Combined with strong pounding drums, this is one of the heavier tracks on the record that will get listeners up and moving and is bound to kick-off live.

RavenEye have a unique sound that cannot be matched and this incredible debut album is a fresh take on hard rock. The word that comes to mind when describing this record is powerful. A combination of grooves, hooks, riffs and memorable choruses sets this album aside and is perhaps one of the best albums released this year.

CHARLIE CONIBEAR

Full of unpredictable guitars, celestial synths, and punctuated vocals that swirl around the powerful rhythm section, some aspects of this are heavily reminiscent of the quirky soundtrack used in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World. The four-piece perfectly capture the essence of 70s punk rock n roll. It’s impossible to fault the aesthetic of the band, their sound perfectly matching their image. Far from trying to be something they are not, this is their sound and they own it.

Tracks like ‘No Novelty’ and ‘Rat King’ are both brilliant, coming in at under the two-minute mark but fitting in well next to the epic 7 minutes long tunes.

Nots are a young talented band with a lot of potential and it will be interesting to see what this album does for this up and coming four-piece. We imagine it’ll achieve a lot.

CHARLIE CONIBEAR

Opening track ‘Summer Dress’ perfectly transitions into the consistent record, offering a fantastic impression for a debut. Taking influence from the likes of Gnarwolves and Basement, this young band demonstrate it clearly in their sound. It is easy to find comparisons, however they do put their own unique twist on the vocals as front man Alex Moses rustic melodies set these tracks apart from the more straightforward emo-punk.

A consistent theme of heartache appealing to a young audience, ‘Spring Forever’ is essentially a coming of age album. The likes of ‘Daffodil’ stand out, reminstent of early blink-182 material. ‘Nervous Wreck’, one of the softest songs on the record, easily holds it own.

This record stands in the upper echelons of pop-punk releases of the year and is certainly a solid debut. Most importantly, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable listen.

CHARLIE CONIBEAR

From the get go it’s easy to see that NARCS have a keen interest in politics, as countless references are placed throughout the album. ‘Empathy the Dog’ calls out for change by hoping for some kind of civil war in order to take action. Gruesome as it may be perceived, the sheer vehemence that is shown sets this band apart. ‘Mile Die’ is lyrically impeccable and does get one thinking about the current state of affairs, pointing out significant flaws in our current government.

This album shows a contrast. Sticking to a particular sound, but shaping it, pushing their unique music to its limits with what they have. When you compare tracks like ‘Soak’ to ‘Bullingdon Boys’ it’s a nice change, two different sounding songs but both belonging together on the album.

A new type of organised chaos, ‘A Thinking Animal’ shows refreshing promise.

CHARLIE CONIBEAR