Since Remembered

Coming Alive (2006)

Jordan Rogowski

Since Remembered represent the sounds of youth. I'm not implying the music is of an overly basic nature (though that's not too far from the truth), but more that the vocals sound like that of a teenager. Again, though, that's not really meant to be insulting. Vocalist Danny Siviter's cords resemble that of a younger individual. They're not whiny, crackly, or anything generally associated with that age group, but the combination of youthful enthusiasm and overall inflection leads me to believe the singer is much younger than he actually is.

Sounding a good deal like the singer of the now-defunct Endicott, Siviter's raspy yelps give pace to the album, and despite what I've said about the vocals being reminiscent of a much younger individual, they do fit the music well, and are generally enjoyable as well. The album opener, "Everything," establishes a basis right from the get-go. Save a minute and a half instrumental intro, this is the first real foray into music the band displays, and for lack of a better word, it's invigorating.

The energy displayed is undeniable, and the rally cry of "These words won't save me now!," cliché as they might be, really fire up the rest of the record, and make it well known that you're in for quite a hard-hitting and energetic 26 minutes. There's vocal parts like that abound, with repetitious salvos and hard-hitting riffs. The lyrics never stray far from the simplistic / typical youth-crew revival hardcore fare, but it suits the music, and suits the feel.

And while there's not a lot of variety to be found, the relatively short running time of the album keeps the sound from ever growing stale. Song after song fires past, only breaking the 2-minute mark half the time, and within those short durations, is a band who keeps picking up steam and conviction. The vocals are inspired, some of the riffs and progressions teetering on the classification of epic, but staying curt enough to not allow you to get too swept up in anything. Even the longer songs like "Hero of the Day" maintain an unwavering sense of urgency, most of that urgency coming from the vocals.

Aside from any pre, and as it turns out, ill-conceived notions about the singer's age, this remains a solid, solid hardcore record, and a landmark of sorts, in that it's the first release I've heard from Blood & Ink records that didn't end up with a cozy home in my garbage can.