Xerxes
Our Home is a Deathbed
No Sleep Records (2012)
Sounds like: melodic post-hardcore, Touché Amoré with stronger screamo ties
Score: 8/10
On their debut 7” Twins, Xerxes caused quite a stir with the literate brand of post-hardcore that seems to be in abundance as of late. Mixing a keen ear for dynamics with the crushing breakdowns that highlight the genre, they seemed to fit perfectly in the emerging scene while still having a distinct sound and pacing that suggested we may have found the source of a future classic.
Their first full-length and debut on No Sleep Records, Our Home is a Deathbed looks to cash-in on that promise and bring a heavy turn to the scene. Opening with the eerie ambience of “Wake,” we are quickly introduced to the counterbalance of “Sleep,” showing this band’s allegiance to the excellent screamo of the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. Xerxes tears through a truly standout performance on this record, differentiating themselves from contemporaries and shaping their own sound.
Unfortunately, this process of developing their own sound is still a work in progress. They seem to move back and forth between screamo and the dynamic, earnest style found more readily in their contemporaries. Songs like “Fever Dream” and “February” demonstrate a stronger dedication to construction and an attempt to move from more isolated vocals and sparse instrumentation to cathartic swells, but this is very much hindered by issues with production. Sometimes vocals are moved deep into the mix, and there is a struggle to fully achieve the transition from stasis to explosion, placing tempos in uncomfortable middle-grounds and filling parts with activity that seems contrary to the intended dynamic. The result is that the wrenching moments this band is clearly shooting for (and coming damn close to) are falling just short. Perhaps if placed with a producer better suited to their style, they would develop the fully flushed out sound that is just out of reach here.
The progress Xerxes has made is undeniable. Transitioning to the format of an album with an overarching theme and still maintaining urgency and attack is no small feat. This record further justifies all the calls of potential their debut generated, it just doesn’t quite deliver on it yet.
– Patrick Caddick
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