After the Fall/Caleb Lionheart Split EP
Better Days Records (2012)
Sounds Like: Up-tempo punk rock with melodic overtones
Rating: 8/10
A general guideline for me regarding pop-punk is the faster the better. So when I came across the After the Fall/Caleb Lionheart split EP, I knew I had to check it out. Only six songs in length, (three songs apiece) both bands found ample time to display their styles and talents.
“Forgive and Forget” immediately launches the After the Fall portion of the split into high gear. Melodic vocals lace the up-tempo punk barrage until about a minute and a half into the song where the band slows down a bit to emphasize sweet lyrics about hopes for a newborn daughter. Probably the best song on the split, “Four Minute Warning” is a fast, yet catchy jam about how much music means to these guys, and they couldn’t have expressed it in a better way. The final After the Fall song on the split is a cover of Descendents’ “Kabuki Girl,” a full-blooded skate-punk song about the hesitation one might feel in totally trusting a woman. “Face is white, hair is black/Gonna stab me, in the back/That’s a chance that I’m gonna take.” It ends the first half of the record on a fun note, and I was really impressed with the three tracks provided by these Albany, NY punks.
Also from Albany, Caleb Lionheart’s distinctive vocals and fun-paced songs have caught the ears of East Coast listeners. The band enters with “Empathy,” a faster-than-hell track that doesn’t reach forty seconds but shows off vocalist Tony Bucci’s ability to sing with a hoarse, yet rich style. Unfortunately, the much mellower “Dutch Guts” failed to hold my attention and didn’t call for repeat listens. Caleb’s finale is the acoustic “We’re Rooted Here and You Can’t Pull Us Up.” Although I think it runs a bit long at over four minutes, it’s a very catchy song about realizing how attached you can become to a place. The bridge has an awesome riff followed by an even better lyrical passage, and it’s a fantastic way to end the EP.
I enjoyed this split, but I’d be lying if I said I liked it more than Caleb Lionheart’s previous work. After the Fall definitely stole the spotlight with this one. With that being said, if you’re a fan of up-tempo pop punk then you should really check this out. It definitely has something for anyone with a punk itch to scratch.
-Felipe Garcia
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