The Mock Heroic
Dignified Exits (2007)
Brian Shultz
The Mock Heroic infuse their trad-screamo compositions with plenty of little flourishes on Dignified Exits that, while overall misses far short of the marks set by the genre's leaders, still results in an enjoyable and interesting release.
Dignified Exits carries lots of familiar traits: some jazzy chords, frantic/multiple yells seemingly coming from the back of the room and cool time changes and occasional quiet parts, sometimes reminding one of European forebears Raein or CT reps Jeromes Dream (though not as beautiful and octave-dependent as the former and less vocally harsh than the latter). There's a thumping bass line in "Led Astray," a rare sense of continual restraint in "Draize Test," and cool, frenetic licks in "An Open Wound." It's all very smooth yet simultaneously erratic, and it's certainly not mind-blowing, but the band's creativity and composure is obvious. The songs are also full of substance, with writings about mental/physical abuse, animal lib. and personal crises.
Limited to 500 or so copies, that's probably a solid number for something like Dignified Exits as only the most loyal of genre followers will perhaps get strongly behind this. That's not to say it's bad -- not at all. The Mock Heroic may not do it as well as their peers or influences, but they're certainly making a dent.
[Dignified Exits was released on a UK label and currently has no plans for an official North American release.]