The Dangerous Summer

Mother Nature

Written by: PP on 27/03/2021 02:27:32

The Dangerous Summer will be releasing new material in the near future, so it's only fitting we revisit an album of theirs that we missed out on when it was originally released about two years ago. After delivering masterpiece after masterpiece" during the heights of the dreamy, emotionally-charged post-hardcore movement, The Dangerous Summer's post-hiatus, self-titled reunion album was decent, yet felt like a shadow of their former glory, leaving much ground to be regained on subsequent records.

Fortunately, the fifth album "Mother Nature" saw a return to form despite all the drama and lineup changes, delivering us magical emotive pieces like "Way Down" that went down as some of the best songs that year. Slow, intensely emotional, atmospheric and longing pieces are what always underscored their introspective, yet loud expression, and this one is no exception. The indie-flavored post-hardcore style comes to its own here with AJ Perdomo's coarse, charismatic delivery landing a home run that carries "Mother Nature" all the way through.

It's then supplemented by expansive, wide-open pieces like "Virginia" that play with the quiet/loud dynamic extensively to deliver a classic emo/post-hardcore piece, only dressed in alternative rock clothing. But even here, the emotive vocals and the humongous chorus take us back to the best moments of 2013's "Golden Record", suggesting Perdomo was always the creative mastermind in the band, even though neither original guitarist Bryan Czap nor Cody Payne is no longer involved with the band. Matt Kennedy has shown to be a capable replacement, delivering captivating soundscapes that linger, melodically ring, and soothe the listener while AJ Perdomo delivers his signature style vocal performance full of emotional depth and climaxing semi-screams.

The latter, by the way, is on full-force display throughout "Mother Nature". Depth-laden, emotive, and with progressive undertones, AJ Perdomo's raspy style mixed with range variation sounds perfect on top of the contemplative, dreamy instrumental landscape. Despite the occasional overreach into Angels & Airwaves style lofty melodrama (see "Where Were You When The Sky Opened Up"), the vast majority of the record delivers memorable, brooding indie-alternative mixed with emo and post-hardcore where his raw vocals grate away exposing emotional layers few other bands can muster.

In the end, "War Paint" and "Golden Record" are still the two best albums by this band, but "Mother Nature" is an excellent record and a statement of force that ensures we should all be excited about the new album currently in the works. Or how else would you classify a band able to submit genre godhood like "Violent Red" stashed away towards the end of this record?

8

Download: Violent Red, Way Down, Virginia, Starting Over / Slow Down, Blind Ambition
For the fans of: Have Mercy, Strange Vacation, Balance And Composure, Brand New, Angels & Airwaves, The Jealous Sound
Listen: Facebook

Release date 14.06.2019
Hopeless Records

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