Asthenia / Overo split EP
Two emo bands doing two songs apiece, both attempting to mix ’90s dynamic songwriting with more modern spastic emo. ASTHENIA starts off their side with what might be the best song on this record. It’s a short rocker that musically sounds similar to BRAID’s earlier, less dynamic stuff but with vocals that are more gruff and less sung. It’s unfortunate that the overly frantic screamed vocals at the end of the song feel so contrived. Their second song starts off soft and kind of pretty, tricking you into thinking it’s going to sound like CURRENT and then there it is again, that affected 00s screamo sound. OVERO starts things out with some twinkly Midwest emo that breaks into a heavier chug with hints of hardcore but remains melodic throughout. Two vocalists, the pleading, higher-pitched, sung vocal being far more compelling than the screamed one. This makes the second half of the song really grow on you with its long build and the sung vocal being the star. Their second track feels like a throwaway—47 seconds of uninspired hardcore broken up by a short little delicate guitar noodle.