EP REVIEW: Reflections – Belmont

Pop Punk has seen a somewhat resurgence in recent years leaning more on the alternative side of the music with bands like BOSTON MANOR and KNUCKLE PUCK blasting onto the scene but it has become increasingly difficult to not become stale or a cliché but Chicago based, five piece punk outfit BELMONT have come out gunning for the headline spot with a six track EP full of refreshing ideas and a progressive take on the genre.

Opener By My Side gives the listener a great indication of where the band is heading with their sound. Older fans may be in for a surprise when they are met with what sounds like a trap beat tricking them to think they have accidentally bought the new ATTILA record only to revert back into their more familiar punk roots with a fresh bounce and intriguing melodies. Even with the experimentation of instrumentation, this is still unashamedly pop-punk especially in the vocal department and you will be no doubt torn between headbanging and singing the chorus at the top of your lungs.

Next track Deadweight slows things down ever so slightly but never gives in the emotional department. Synths and electronics dance underneath driving guitar lines that adds to the weight of the lyrics. An emotional sledgehammer of a track. Stay Up again toys with the listener at the beginning of track luring them into a false sense of safety thinking they are heading into ballad territory before rapid-fire drum beats and intricate guitar work blast through create what is probably the heaviest track on the EP. Never losing the pop-punk sound, BELMONT are capable to expanding their sound by mixing up the tempo at the drop of a hat.

Even with the heavier aspects of their sound, they never seem to lose their catchiness and groove that is none more apparent on Hideout with an earworm chorus that will get stuck in your head for days. It is probably the least heavy track on the album but it’s a welcome short break from the first two meatier cuts. Move Along is another pop-punk rager with an infectiously bouncy chorus while closer Back and Forth showcase the band’s capability to write a more spacious and atmospheric track with is bass lead outro that closes the EP leaving you wanting more.

It’s not often a pop punk record needs multiple listens to hear everything going on within the music but BELMONT have created a more complex mixture of tracks that they have wanted to write for some time but they are still catchy songs that will have you banging your head one minute and singing along the next. Those who like their pop-punk with dashes of metal and prog will be greatly satisfied. If this is the direction they will be heading towards we wouldn’t put it past them receiving headline slots soon enough.

Rating: 9/10

Reflections is out now via Pure Noise Records.

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