AS IT IS 'I WENT TO HELL AND BACK' - Album Review

 

British pop-punk band As It Is has been through many trials and tribulations since their last album, from being a band of five to now being a band of three, and like many other bands in the scene, the current COVID-19 pandemic putting a halt to everything. But the boys are back and better than ever with their newest and 4th studio album appropriately titled 'I WENT TO HELL AND BACK'. As It Is are never afraid of changing up their sound and this album proves once again that bands can succeed when they give the fans something new! 

No strangers to also having a specific theme or concept behind each album and after the theming of their last album titled 'The Great Depression' which was basically the band trying to bring 'emo' back with vocalist Patty Walters long black hair and dark eyeliner and black and red outfits similar to Gerard Way back in My Chemical Romance's prime, nobody knew what to expect next from them. With the release of their first single titled 'IDGAF' back in May of last year, it was apparent of the direction the band planned to go with on I WENT TO HELL AND BACK. It's almost the perfect mixture of the band's early pop-punk days with the upbeat instrumentals and the darker instrumentals that The Great Depression had. 

This is the first As It Is album that has guitarist Ronnie Ish taking over for beloved former member Benjamin Langford-Biss who parted ways with the band shortly after their last tour to focus on solo work. Ronnie was touring with As It Is on that last tour as an extra guitarist so fans were ecstatic when it was announced he would be a permanent member! With Ronnie being the only guitarist now, he gets to show his talent and he definitely fits in perfectly, almost like he was destined to be a part of this band and album creation! 

Overall, I WENT TO HELL AND BACK is nostalgic, energetic, and for the people who just want Warped Tour to come back! If you have never listened to As It Is but enjoy bands such as Neck Deep or Trash Boat, this is definitely a band for you! Every single album this band puts out gets better and better. Arguably, this might be the best album of their career! No matter the situation, As It Is are amazing at coming back with new and different experiences for all of their albums and I WENT TO HELL AND BACK is no exception. What makes it such a significance is how different it is when compared to the generic pop-punk feel of their debut album 'Never Happy, Ever After', the happy 50's inspired 'Okay', and of course the dark heavy topics of 'The Great Depression'. I WENT TO HELL AND BACK is it is own. It's different but not so different that it deters long-time listeners. It combines a little of everything from the band's past work and puts it into an album that is truly a masterpiece! 

Rating: 4/5

★★★★☆

  

Incase We Crash 'No Education' EP - Review

     Toronto based pop-punk band Incase We Crash consisted of vocalist/guitarist Simon Austin, drummer Tyler Twigger and bassist Antony Lena, are about to be the next big thing in the pop-punk scene. A year after releasing their debut EP titled 'Constantly Changing' the boys are back with their newest EP 'No Education'. Despite the band losing a member in the span of that year, 'No Education' really shows the progression of not just their musical abilities but also their lyrical abilities. You can hear the hard work that went into the recording process as it was a huge payoff!

   

     Longtime fans of Incase We Crash will know about a song called 'Straight To The Head'. With this new EP the pop-punkers recorded a new version appropriately titled 'Straight 2 The Head' in order to give the song a new life which once again shows the band's evolvement with a more upbeat guitar intro which leads into a catchy chorus that will most definitely be stuck in the listeners head.

     Songs like 'I Threw My Books Into the Ocean' showcase a very different sound than what fans are used to with more synth/electronic music behind it and a slower melody but it adds a nice contrast from the faster songs we all enjoy.

     Many can say that the pop-punk genre can all begin to sound the same, but Incase We Crash put their own little twist on the genre which entailed a wonderfully crafted EP that should be heard by everybody, anywhere. Whereas other bands usually get their rise to fame after releasing a debut full'-length album, the 'No Education' EP is definitely going to be the one that will garner a bigger fanbase for Incase We Crash which the fully deserve. 'No Education' is an EP all fans of pop-punk will enjoy and if you are someone who is into more "underground" bands, then they are the band for you!

     If you want to check out Incase We Crash's music (which you should) and if you live in the Ontario, Canada region and want to catch them live, go see them on the No Education tour starting November 15th in Barrie, Ontario with stops in Ottawa, Montreal, Hamilton, and Oshawa with their hometown show in Toronto on November 30th. For more information on upcoming shows, follow Incase We Crash on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter also be sure to stream/listen to 'No Education' on Spotify, Youtube and any other place you can listen to music!