EP REVIEW: Songs To Fight The Gods To – Air Drawn Dagger

Sheffield electro-emo angst-pop band AIR DRAWN DAGGER are back with their latest EP Songs To Fight The Gods To. Over the years since their formation in 2015, the trio have put their energy into constantly touring and figuring out their sound, allowing them to shift from your standard pop-punk sound into a style that goes in different directions from melodic pop hooks to being loud and angry. And this EP is a perfect example of how far they’ve come.

Opening with lead single You Should Have Known Better, the track starts out with a dramatic piano before the full band comes in with a style that feels like a more refined take on the pop-punk/emo genre. Every single part of the song stands out in its own way where nothing outshines the other, a true testament to their chemistry as a group.

That energy continues in Title Fight where, starting with an electronic rock intro, the band move into a fast pop-punk style that’s tied together with an occasional twinkly piano that adds a lovely melody. If that hasn’t sold you already, then how about catchy lyrics, drum beats with a fantastic hook and anthemic chanting that you eagerly want to join in on. And, as a nice touch, there’s also a moment where the music is made to sound like it’s being played on a record player, giving it a nice vintage vibe, before everything comes back with full force.

The next two tracks are not as complex as the previous two songs, but they are still incredible in their simple nature of being anthemic and feel-good; Stigmata is a fast, bouncy punk song that uses distorted effects and has a fantastic breakdown; and GhostsGhostsGhosts (Phantoms) is just a solid anthemic rock song that includes its own use of dramatic elements by bringing violins into the mix in a way that can only be described as stunning.

When we, sadly, arrive at the final song, The Collapse Of Mount Plethora, things go in a completely different direction, affirming AIR DRAWN DAGGER’s versatility. The song itself feels like a dramatic telling of a story, the perfect type of song to be used in the soundtrack for a fantasy film, if not only for the lyrics, but for the music as it perfectly captures the elements of fear and courage, the need to succeed on the quest, and all the mysteries, thrills and romance that comes with it.

It’s mind-blowing what AIR DRAWN DAGGER have done here, not only cementing their skills and chemistry in being versatile as a band, but getting the listener excited to hear what’s to come next for the trio. What else can they possibly do that can top this? We’re excited to hear the answer to that question.

Rating: 9/10

Songs To Fight The Gods To is out now via Silent Cult Records.

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