Summer's End - s/t

Summer’s End
s/t
Hand of Hope Records
Grade: B+

On an average day you can walk into a record store and immediately be able to discern a band’s sound based on the cover alone. Metal bands look dark and evil, punk bands run the gamut, indie rock bands have high fashion sense, rap groups have glitz and bling, etc. With Summer’s End, you would fail miserably in this endeavor. The artwork on this self-titled debut is pure horror-Misfits and you immediately come to the judgment that this will be simply Misfits-induced punk. How wrong. This five-piece from DC bristles on the edge of brutal metalcore with dazzling dueling guitars, solid screams and tight musicianship. This full length is actually a partial full-length as there are only six studio tracks (at twenty-plus minutes) coupled with three live tracks recorded at Fletcher’s in Baltimore. Though Summer’s End slams you in the head instantly on the opener “Buried Near the Living Dead” and illustrates their metal soloing proclivity on songs like “Haunting Hallowed Graves” and “Victim,” they don’t lose sight of other influences. This is most obviously illustrated by having Michael Graves of the Misfits lend vocals and lyrics to “Headwound;” a thick six-minute metal-punk number. The three live tracks, “Through My Blood,” “Flawless Seasons” and “Final Goodbye,” leave something to be desired particularly in respect to the latter-day Earth Crisis style vocals. While Summer’s End currently swoons in the metal circles, they may be better matched up with bands like metalcore city-mates Darkest Hour. Look for more from this talented group.