ALBUM REVIEW: Replica – Dayseeker
DAYSEEKER have become one of the hottest bands in the scene. Their brand of emotionally crushing metalcore – depressioncore/sadcore if you will – has resonated with the youth of today. Gradually switching up their sound to focus more on melodies and melancholy, the band have evolved into a different animal, one that prides itself in drinking the tears of the adoring fans at their haunting live shows. During an overheating of equipment incident at a show in 2022, the band quickly thought on their feet and treated the fans in attendance to a stripped-down acoustic set. This improvised set seemingly went down well with the audience, so much so that the band have seen fit to release a full album of a similar ilk. Replica sees DAYSEEKER take some of their biggest hits and a masterful cover and rework them acoustically. They also welcome a few guest stars along the way.
How do you make a track that already hits hard, hit even harder? You allow the instrumentation to breathe and allow vocalist Rory Rodriguez to shine above it all. Opener Sleeptalk lets you know what you’re in for. Even without belting out his vocals, there’s still so much power on display. Next track Without Me showcases a more delicate take than on the original, Rodriguez’s voice perfectly marrying up with Amber DeLaRosa, whose vocals add an extra perspective on a track that was originally one-sided.
Neon Grave was already gut-wrenching due to it being about the loss of Rodriguez’s father, and here it is as beautiful as it is devastating. The pain in Rodriguez’s voice echoes through the track and leaves a harrowing but heartfelt imprint on your soul. The guitar work throughout the whole album is special. It never feels like it’s too much as it allows the vocals to gain the spotlight, but at the same time provides the heartbeat of each track and brings them to life as they dance in perfect sync with the alluring voice.
HOLDING ABSENCE frontman Lucas Woodland lends his impressive talents to the heartbreaking Starving To Be Empty. Again, his voice is a perfect match to Rodriguez’s and neither vocalist ever feels like they’re battling each other. If there was any battle, it would be whose voice will make you cry first. We’re only halfway through the album and you’ll have to pull yourself together to continue. There’s more sorrow to come.
Crying While You’re Dancing was already one of the band’s softer numbers but they’ve still managed to put a fresh spin on it. It’s strangely uplifting but also depressing at the same time. It’s a slow dance speciality that relies on its infectious chorus to keep you coming back for one more spin on the floor. Burial Plot has been reimagined before but this time the band have tagged in BEARTOOTH buddy Caleb Shomo. This version allows the track to bathe in a gloomy glow with its airy instrumentation. Their voices overlapping towards to the track’s quietly crushing conclusion is heavenly.
Afterglow is a late album highlight. A song written about the love someone has for their kids will always be tearjerking. You can feel the raw emotion in every note Rodriguez pours out through his vocals. It’s worth noting that the whole album is produced perfectly. Every instrument is so crisp and clear. The band save arguably the best till last with the ethereal cover of EVANESCENCE’s goth rock ballad My Immortal. Covering anything that involves Amy Lee is a ballsy move as she’s arguably one of the best vocalists of the 21st Century – many hats off to Rodriguez and the band for doing the song justice.
Replica is a wonderful, if incredibly heartbreaking, collection of tracks from DAYSEEKER’s back catalogue reimagined in a stripped-down format. An enchanting listen for when you don’t feel quite miserable enough listening to the originals.
Rating: 8/10
Replica is set for release on April 19th via Spinefarm Records.
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