Pop Punk Rock
RIYL: Citizen / Bad Religion
Hailing from Chicago,Ill., DISTANTS have conjured their self-titled contemporary punk EP above. Wrought with fast riffs and sing-along vocals, the band have figured out the right formula for making a punk record with feeling.
Recorded at Cold War Studios in Grand Rapids MI in April 2017, Alex, Benj, Chris & Zach have come together to throwdown some instant punk classics here. The EP, consisting of only four songs (bummer, right?), kicks off with a short, and only slightly sweet track with “To Roost.” The song leads with some great fretwork, before leading into some power-pop rock drumming, and rolling bass licks that will cause you to sway with happiness.
The follow-up track, “Interim,” continues by starting off somber, before leading to a pounding rhythm section, replete with overtones of bright guitar licks. Vocally, there is a style reminiscent of genre stalwarts. To be honest, if you were to tell me that this EP came out this year, I would be floored – only because the songs are so akin to music we’ve heard before. That’s not a bad thing either. It’s nice to see that bands like this are keeping the genre alive.
The latter two tracks have a good combination of bright riffs, and a tight rhythm section to hold up the song structure. Vocally, the band has a solid group delivery here. The final track, and arguably the best track on the record “Meanwhile” has an ear-catching riff from the get-go. In fact, I’m still trying to place where I might have heard it before. That said, it works. I was hooked immediately.
Ultimately, there won’t be a lot of surprises on this EP, but what you’ll find is some great pop-punk rock that will get stuck in your head. If it’s your genre of choice, you’ll certain dig it.
