Common Wounds : " s/t"

This band from Arizona features ex-members of Landmine Marathon. They take you back to the 90s with their take on taunt terse post-hardcore that reflects the syncopation of bands like Helmet, with guitar melodies that are more textured filling the spaces where they allow the songs to breathe. They are capable of stepping on the anger pedal and exploding into something heavier. The second song finds them in a straight forward , where they a recklessly charging almost punk moments remind me of Planesmistakenforstars. The vocals occupies  a backseat that falls somewhere between shouted and sung. 

This rowdy brand of tough guy noise rock carries over into the more aggressive "High/ Low". The vocals are more obligatory here, as they contribute little more than a human element to a uniform narrative. The guitars are the real stars not just on this song but the album as a whole. The have a great deal of attack , but are also melodically nuanced. I think it is good this is an EP, as three songs in the formula beings to get too familiar. Thankfully this is switched up in favor a more introspective mood on"No Exit" . The vocals are given more room to muse they are capturing, though never actually being sung. The guitar melodies coming in to not only save the song , but elevate it to being the most memorable. 

Things get heavier with "Phantom Limb". The vocals carry more anguish to their dry throated snarl. This also proves to be one of the album's more dynamic songs , though it does not hook me in to the same extent. I appreciate where they go, and I am convinced they mean every note. I can not claim this is not my thing as I listened to lots of this in the late 90s. The vocals are not my favorite, but aside from that these guys are great songwriters and able inject a great deal of feeling into what they do here. Seasoned veterans of the scene, they know what they are doing and make these songs work. I will give this a 9, though not sure how much it will get in terms of repeat listens from me, but fans of bands like Jawbreaker who want something heavier should be pleased.