Maryland punk trio Pinkshift change gear to bring us a heavier and harder hitting sophomore album Earthkeeper.
Following on from their acclaimed 2022 debut album Love Me Forever, Earthkeeper finds vocalist Ashrita Kumar, guitarist Paul Vallejo and drummer Myron Houngbedji turning up the heat and trying out different genres, whilst simultaneously delving more into politics and the state of the world.
The album blasts off with heavy-duty rocker ‘Love it Here’. Hardcore punk seeps into metalcore as their outrage at the state of the world is encapsulated in Kumar’s anguished screams, Valllejo’s searing guitar lines and Houngbedji frenetic drums.
Fuck your guns and fuck your violence
Recent single ‘Anita Ride’ in another furious number that starts off with feverish drums and culminates with the whole band singing together in a primal chant, whilst ‘Evil Eye’s nu-metallesque tones keeps up the tempo with its focus on corrupt governments.
‘Don’t Fight’ changes tone as it alternates between Valjello’s melodic vocals and Kumar’s screams, turning it into a powerful epic full of anger and despair, with a nod to Loathe and Deftones.
‘Patience’ and ‘Spiritseeker’ showcase a softer dimension of the band, and you could easily imagine with their grungy and anthemic choruses filling stadiums, with the latter song especially showcasing Kumar’s powerful vocals.
‘Reflection’ is another softer song and the first love song from the band, starting out with melodic picked guitar, it transforms into a powerful rock ballad, and features a blistering solo from Vallejo.
Recent single ‘Vacant’ ups the ante again, with punk stylings and grooves that would make fans of Dream Nails and Mannequin Pussy happy.
Album closer ‘Something More’ is another epic grunge-rock song that offers radical optimism as a call to arms for a better world. Sometimes the best defence is offence and as Kumar eloquently sings in the fina line,
I believe I was made for something more than this
Earthkeeper is the sound of a band branching out, trying out different styles and defiantly railing against the world, whilst still maintaining their sense of fun.
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