The Twilight Collective

All in Due Time (2004)

P-Fresh

So lately you've seen a lot of new bands popping up. The first thing you see is "ex-members of ______ and ______!!!!" HOLY CRAP, you mean this band has members from all of my favorite bands? They're writing songs together? YES!! It seems as though so many of the new bands recently have become sort of incestuous, all sleeping and making music in the same bed together. It doesn't mean these bands are bad, because many of them are really great. Some of you are probably tired of this. Well, if that is you, you may as well stop reading here, because the Twilight Collective is a melodic punk/hardcore band featuring ex-members of Shai Hulud (Matt Canning), Always the Victim (Phil Bryer), Worth Dying For (Mark Mongiovi) and Almost Tomorrow (Doug Davisson and Harry Mazzio).

The Twilight Collective are a five-piece hailing from Philadelphia and Deleware. The band has a knack for melding sparse hardcore vocals, oddly reminiscent of Shai Hulud vocalist Geert Van Der Velde, with well-executed guitar riffs and solos, and a healthy dose of melody, without sounding contrived or overdone.

This demo/EP kicks off with "The Showman," a song that tends to showcase the band's ability to go from hardcore crunch to the melodic sound this band surely will come to be known for, in the blink of an eye. The verses are shouted while the chorus features clean vocals from singer Mark Mongiovi. While this style has become a staple in the catalogue of far too many bands in recent memory, Mongiovi and his band pull it off without sounding put-on.

"The Boys Next Door" comes out swinging as "The Showman" trails off. This song sends the charts through the roof in the melody department. Opening up with a riff that sets the tone for the rest of the song, the track goes in an almost self-loathing direction lyrically, with a piece of the chorus telling you that "The boys next door are better lovers, and you know they're better fighters."

Walking you to the door and bidding you goodnight is the final track on All in Due Time, "City of Industry." The song reveals a darker side to the band, kicking off with a couple hits of the crash cymbals and going right into clean singing. The song delves into heavier territory as it soldiers on into the breakdown, with the band's signature screams and guitar work in full effect.

With the Twilight Collective, you're not getting gimmicks, or false emotion, you're getting sincere music played by people who do this because they love it, not for notoriety or a paycheck.