Endgame's Distracted EP is the perfect crash course in the history of New Jersey melodic hardcore. Ringing with the emotional resonance of split-era Turning Point and Lifetime's melodic drive, Distracted is a huge accomplishment for the Bloomfield-based act who -- despite the retroactive criticism -- have never sounded nearly this good.

Opener "Peace of Mind" deserves to be a genre classic, with hooks that embed themselves in the listener's head and refuse to leave, while exuding an incredible, down-to-earth sincerity ("fall apart and hit the floor, and we'll face the crowd together / all pieces of one puzzle but it never fits together"). While it feels like the song completely blows the rest of the EP away during the first few listens, Distracted has a few other notable moments -- namely the exploding dynamic in "Overcast" and the urgent "I Divide."

I may have said little here, but there can't be that much more to say; if you love gimmick-free, heartfelt melodic hardcore, it's hard to go wrong with Distracted.

Peace of Mind

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