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Stand Atlantic

F.E.A.R.

Written by: PP on 11/12/2022 14:02:18

Back in the day, there was a concept of scene albums. They had a certain type of sound that put them in a box where you'd find unusual hairdos, silent introspection, neon-coloured fashion items, and all that stuff. Stand Atlantic's latest album "F.E.A.R." has exactly that sound, given how they're basically an Australian version of Paramore, except on steroids. But that's exactly why they are a much better band in comparison - maybe if Hayley sang with as much attitude as Bonnie Fraser does throughout the album here, they would be worth listening to. But alas.

The opening track "Doomsday" is a great example. It's a full-throttle, attitude-laden energy explosion of female punk rock, characterized by Fraser shouting at the top of her lungs in awe-inspiring fashion. It's infectiously catchy and likely to induce mosh-pits, just like its natural pairing "Van Gogh".

At the same time, not all tracks are fast-paced ragers. "Pity Party" (feat. Royal The Serpent), for example, leans heavily on pop as its platform given its sugarcoated sound, yet it has just enough edge to stand out and avoid sounding generic. "Dumb" (feat Tom The Mail Man) follows along a similar path but is easily the weaker track of the two. "Deathwish" (feat. nothingnowhere) is heavily R'n'B/hip hop inspired aside from its choruses, which also puts it down low on my preference list.

There are lots of vocal effects in a song like "Hair Out", but it carries itself with so much attitude that you almost forget the mainstream-baiting segments, thanks to Fraser's brilliant vocals. "Switchblade" is full of dubstep-esque electronics, now leaning more extensively towards the mainstream, which again isn't the direction the band should be going towards if you ask me. "Cabin Fever" is the same - the hip-hop here just isn't adding anything good to their sound.

The second half of the album in general is less memorable. Songs like "Bloodclot" are too predictable and formulaic to stand out. Luckily there are bright spots like "Don't Talk To Me" and the hardcore-laced "Molotov (OK)". I'd like to see Hayley do the screams in this one, I'm just saying.

Overlal, "F.E.A.R." is solid. It's inconsistent in places, but its best tracks take it well over the average mark. The attitude and strength of Fraser's vocal performance alone elevates Stand Atlantic above other similar bands given her riot-grrrrl-esque approach to her performance.

Download: Doomsday, Van Gogh, Molotov (OK), Don't Talk To Me, Pity Party
For the fans of: Paramore, Hey Monday, Against The Current, Tonight Alive
Listen: Facebook

Release date 06.05.2022
Fearless Records