EP REVIEW: Obscene – Dead Nice

Post-hardcore seems to be the type of music that if it goes wrong, it goes horribly wrong, but if it’s done right it can be pretty close to perfect. DEAD NICE’s debut EP Obscene is an example of post-hardcore done right.

The band kick things off on a high with Occupier. It’s a heavy track and it’s great; from the moment it starts all the instruments come in hard and fast and demand attention. The vocals are really clear and really open up in the choruses. They’re strained and desperate one moment and strong and defiant the next. With a simpler take on the verses, it’s a great way to create a little breathing room that only adds to the song rather than taking away from it.

Observer is a huge track. It’s got a more theatrical intro which breaks down to the rather simplistic less is more instrumentation in the verses. The lyrics seem more casual but keep that same ferocity throughout the track just bubbling in the background. The screamo part in the breakdown section gives it a more post-hardcore feel which is the sort of territory that sounds like where DEAD NICE would seriously thrive.

As if in answer to this, Outsider starts with super heavy instrumentation and with strained chaotic vocals. This is post-hardcore. It’s a really great track as it keeps a heavy feel pretty much the whole way through. There’s little melody to the vocals but that’s because most of them are either screamed or shouted and no one can really complain about that. It’s easy to forget that this EP is DEAD NICE’s debut as it’s tracks like this that sound like they’ve been doing this for ages.

This EP is great. The bottom line here is that Obscene has got catchy tunes that are a lot of fun yet still meaningful and it seems to end too quickly which is always a good sign. DEAD NICE seem to be carving their own space in the vast landscape that is punk and it is well deserved.

Rating: 8/10

Obscene is set for release on October 13th via self-release.