EP REVIEW: Sentiment – So Much Hope, Buried.

Pennsylvania five piece SO MUCH HOPE, BURIED. release their debut EP Sentiment. Full of emotive playing and positive outlook on hard hitting topics, will this post-hardcore band produce something fresh in the genre?

There are some good moments of introspection on this record, like the short and sweet Heal and Don’t Sink. It’s evident that there’s an edge to SO MUCH HOPE, BURIED. but most of their sound is in the post-hardcore softness that wants to inspire and give hope. There’s some technical skill showing through, and even some inclination towards groove metal. Oddly, there’s also something of very early PARAMORE in this record in songs like Desert Child, both from the vocals and tone of the music. It’s evident that this is a band at the start of their journey, but there’s a solid foundation to push into more emotional playing, or into a more pop sound, or perhaps into heavier, more melodic sections – the potential is all there.

When things pick up into more energetic sections like Slav, there are some unusual choices added like an off-key plonk of keys every so often, but overall, the enthusiastic chorus with is flamboyant drumming and solid hook makes this a great track. It pairs well with the following track Rose Eyes. This provides a good point to commend the topics of this EP. It’s evidently a good outlet for musicians to use their craft to hone in on areas of life that are a struggle, and SO MUCH HOPE, BURIED. get into the heart of big issues around mental health and self-worth.

The irregularity of Rose Eyes keeps you on your toes, and the prominence of the keys makes for a marked distinction from your regular post-hardcore stereotypes. Using the cliché of muffled, distant sounding screams at the end of the song does let this one down however, as it’s so over used in the genre and has already cropped up on this EP.

There are some hardcore platitudes in Neglect that will no doubt result in some dismissing the tune, but again there’s nothing especially wrong with it aside from being a little generic. Likewise, Keepsake might feel a little cringe with its overflow of love in its spoken word screams, but it’s all coming from a good place. When it gets into the meat of the track, it has some bite and will touch the hearts of the people that this record is for, who really resonate with the music and the intention.

SO MUCH HOPE, BURIED. put a lot of heart into Sentiment, and it’s a big part of what makes the listening experience. There’s not much whining and moaning about the state of things without offering any solutions like a lot of post-hardcore bands, but reflections on how to turn bad to good. It’s a record filled with positivity and a hope for a better society. While they’re not in their final form as a band yet, with such a persistent love at their core SO MUCH HOPE, BURIED. have a lot of potential to push into a sound all of their own. There are so many avenues to turn what they’re starting out with into something bright and optimistic and special.

Rating: 6/10

Sentiment is set for release on March 11th via self-release.

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