Album Reviews

- by Sarah Vandereyd

Well slap me silly and call me Susan, Evergreen Terrace released a new album! I know, right? Who would’ve guessed that said band survived the demise of the black fringes. Four years ago, the quintet vanished from the face of the earth. No news, no updates, nothing. What in heaven’s name have they been doing during that period, you might ask. Well, certainly not searching for a new and improved sound, that’s for sure. “Dead Horses” is a genuine blast from the past.

Evergreen Terrace has always been –excuse me-  emo. Their music has always been dark and gloomy. “Dead Horses” is no different. It starts off relatively slow, in a totally melodic hardcorish way.  The first song, “Crows”, sets the mood for the entire album. The band sings –and screams- about black hearts united, rotting hands and running away. The trademarks of the era ’06-’09. This carries on throughout almost the entire album. Lyrics like ‘how can I get one leg up when I was born with my two feet in the grave’ and ‘your Gods can’t hear you, you’re still lost in the herd’ seal the deal of Dead Horses’ brooding character. You hate everything and everyone, we get it.

Strangely enough, the only odd one out on “Dead Horses” is “Dead Horses”. This song taps into a more punk sound. I would even dare to call it an anthem. To me, this is the sound Evergreen Terrace should be evolving to. Less screaming –nobody can understand a word he’s saying anyway- and more singing. Oh, and more punk. More punk is never a bad thing. As Thor would say: this song, I like it! ANOTHER!

In the end, I only have one advice left for the men of Evergreen Terrace: The kids aren’t emo anymore, they matured. You guys should try doing the same.