Isaac

Burner (2015)

Jon

Isaac is in some ways a breed of their own. Their sound is ambiguous, yet it's easy to pinpoint their influences at the same time. The band’s debut, Burner is a dark but upbeat melodic punk album that has a consistent gloomy vibe whether the songs are fast or not.

The band’s heavy influence almost comes through too much on the record. The vocals are heavily reminiscent of Dan Andriano and Matt Skiba, which isn’t shocking as most songs sound typically like Alkaline Trio.The songs do have some kind of variety to them, but it is not enough to differentiate the band. “Chirpse” is a unique exception, as it showcases what the band is truly capable of when they’re not relying on their influences.

As for melodic punk, the band really doesn’t push the genre’s limit. The songs are traditionally formatted punk rock with melodies that have been done a million times over. While Isaac aim high, the songs fall short of expectations. “Ghosts” adds an interesting bridge to the three chord punk rock songs that saturate the album. It isn’t until the last few songs that the band really gets the courage to change it up.

While the band does well writing fast melodic punk songs, they don’t add anything new to the genre. The songs have the typical structure with the occasional intricate bridge, but other than that, Isaac’s debut album isn’t anything transformative.