March 22, 2021
Release date: Out Now
Label: Hell For Breakfast
Genre: Pop-punk, melodic hardcore
Band members:-
Dave Tremblay – Guitar
Gabriel Desbiens – Vocals
Maxime Desjardins – Guitar
Miguel Lepage – Bass
Gabriel Lescarbeau – Drums
Track-listing:-
1) We’re All Connected
2) Fuck Cancer
3) Midnight Desperado
4) It’s Okay
5) Entertainment
6) Never-ending Chapter
7) 15000 Bombs
8) 338
9) So Swift
10) V e r t i g o
From the burgeoning hotbed of musical talent arising from Montreal, Sudden Waves are emerging into a new era for the bands’ sound. ‘We’re All Connected‘ released through Hell For Breakfast, being the offering that will launch them into the next phase of their career. Grabbing the attention of the local hardcore scene is no mean feat, with their very first release, ‘Meet Me Halfway’. This album, although short and punchy, at 28 minutes, gives enough of a showcase of what they are capable of. Mixing pop-punk, melodic hardcore and metal may not be an easy task but the band have succeeded in their quest to blend their influences but hold onto their originality.
The band introduces diversity through the topics in their lyrics, such as daily struggles, personal demons, all while assuming their stance and making it known that they are trying to influence a change on how we treat our planet. In their own words, they say, ‘Like a grain of sand, we might be small and one in a million, but we are not pointless when we work together. We’re all connected’.
Lead track, ‘We’re All Connected’, starts us off with a suitably nice chugging riff to the guitars. A simple, short introduction to the album that whets the appetite for more. With the vocalists barking the message through the barrage of precise drumming, this is a fine way to bring their message.
Next up is ‘Fuck Cancer’, a straight-ahead metal tune with a simple message. From the muscular riffs to the melodic touches, this could easily rank anywhere between Earthtone9 and Killswitch Engage. Certainly, there is enough already here to see that this will be a popular live favourite.
The pacy, ‘Midnight Desperado’, replete with its’ face-melting breakdowns and tempo changes, show the different influences from the nu-metal and hardcore punk era to the melodic metalcore sound. There is a diverse mix of styles throughout that make this a very engaging listen.
On the emotive and reflective, ‘It’s Okay’, the band show their sensitive side to an instrumental interlude, before launching into the energetic ‘Entertainment’ featuring Jayden Panesso. There is a nod to so many different styles within this melodic metalcore tune. The breakdowns punishing every time and a snare that at times sounds like a gunshot.
‘Neverending Chapter’ is a melodic tune with clean singing that represents a lighter pop-rock moment on the album. This clearly complements the edgier and darker moments on the record.
Order is then restored with ‘15.000 Bombs’ featuring Get The Shot frontman Jean-Philippe Lagace on vocals. The riff bouncing and leaping around a solid melodic metalcore base. Another impressive number that packs a punch with an aggressive hardcore rap vocal.
‘338’ gives us another chance to appreciate a change of pace with a synth-inspired ballad-esque tune.
On ‘So Swift’ there is more than a touch of humour in the music video, gently ripping the piss out of black metal bands videos. Released in October 2020, this precursor to the album shows that the band appreciate the lighter side of life and the humour reflects in their approach to the music.
Which leaves the vibrant acoustic journey that is ‘V E R T I G O’ leading to a more raucous climax to the album.
The band show a versatility and an enjoyment which makes pigeonholing them a difficult prospect. Therein lies a beauty. Sudden Waves have successfully managed to combine their favourite influences into one album whilst still retaining their own original outlook. The tunes are bustling with a vitality that will be appreciated by many a metalhead. ‘We’re All Connected’ is a well-produced and precise effort that I am sure will be very popular in the live arena. There is enough on this short album to suggest that Sudden Waves have the potential to become an important link between nu-metal, their hardcore punk roots and melodic metalcore.
Score : 8 out of 10
Reviewed by: Stefan Putwain
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