Since The Flood
Valor And Vengeance
4
Boston's Since The Flood is a band that seems to have some decent songwriting ideas, but are confused as to just what kind album they want to make.
Not quite as singularly focused on breaking it down as bands like Bury Your Dead, nor as agile as The Zimmerman Note, what Since the Flood offer are songs in the traditional hardcore framework with the odd melodic interjection. Unlike bands like Hamartia, who skillfully weaved layered recursive melodies together with derivative thrash riffing, Since The Flood is merely a hardcore band with a vague since of melody. Unfortunately, the more melodic moments of Valor and Vengeance sound forced and are stripped of their ability to make any sort of emotional connection with the listener by somewhat sloppy execution. "These Scars" and "In My Eyes" show the band's potential, but also hint at their lack of seasoning and forethought.
That being said, when the band hits their stride, they produce some stirring, if slightly derivative east coast hardcore, at times sounding like a far more muscular but less charismatic Bane or Agnostic Front. "Enough Said" is Since The Flood at their best. They lay down some bread and butter hardcore that exhibits the band in a far more comfortable state than their attempts to craft more melodic tunes.
I have to give Since The Flood credit for at least trying to write songs. Clearly though, the band just isn't talented or clever enough to write songs that are any good. Ultimately this is a pretty insignificant release easily overshadowed by second and third tier bands who are already pulling this sound of with far more ease.
