It's tough to pin down something like this.

Awkwardly filed under hardcore, Howard Finster actually use dramatic, melodic guitar chords and the occasional octave along the lines of Thursday or even A Static Lullaby [cue about half of you leaving this review], but tucking them neatly under a relentless, screaming growl forces the abovementioned style labeling. The nine-minute demo can grate a bit overbearing on the dramatic moments, but there's enough creativity and intensity to alleviate what could otherwise destroy the potential of a young band.

"Running Man" opens with a movie clip, so they've got that part down pretty well. It's then brushed aside, however, as a caterwaul scream initiates things with the stop-start riffs. Any chance to easily lump them into the nu-screamo pile is defended by the fact that there really isn't a second of melodic singing to lure in the attempt, although you'll certainly sit there expecting it because of the instrumentation. There's some yelled spoken-word parts, but they're more reminiscent of Mewithoutyou than anything.

For a demo, it really isn't half-bad. It showcases some definite potential from a band who may not be doing something new, but are surely avoiding doing something that got real old real quick.

MP3
Running Man