The band consists of Tim Singer on vocals (Deadguy, Kiss It Goodbye, No Escape), Matt Ryan (Calvary) and Kevin Sommerville (Lighten Up!) on guitar duties. Dan Yemin’s on bass (Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Paint it Black) and Jeff Tirabassi (ex. Walleye) is hitting the skins. Between them all then, they have a wealth of experience and years of gigging and writing under their belts, and it shows. The record is slick, tight, hits hard, and does exactly what you’d expect from a hardcore album and then some.
Thematically, the album covers all the usual hardcore topics. There’s buckets of angst and anger towards the establishment, to corporations, to bosses, to inequality and to humanity and the way people treat each other. There’s bitterness (well, it’s in the name), there’s frustration, and there’s hope.
It’s classic punk and full of arm in the air rallying calls right from the outset of opener ‘Along Came A Bastard’. An explosive beginning, it starts with thundering drums like a racing heartbeat, pounding out a rhythm to carry the tense guitars and Singer’s often vitriolic vocal delivery. Peppered with a sarcastic sneer, it’s his casual spoken style that stands out consistently throughout the record.
Sonically, it’s consistently rhythmic and hard-hitting, playing around with guitar rhythms, dynamics and little lead licks. Over a variety of different tracks ranging from short (1.53) to epic (6.33), Bitter Branches showcase their songwriting and have fun with it, coming in at just the right length to leave you reaching once more for the play button.
‘The Man Who Never Cries’ is a standout highlight, with Singer’s vocals at his most pained and powerful. ‘Plastic Tongues’ and ‘Have You Tried Jogging’ are driven by satisfying minor chord progressions and delicate licks, and packed with sarcasm. It feels moody and atmospheric but uplifting. Scattered amongst the darkness of the overall sound is the inner strength and swagger we can all find, and the strength that punk promotes.
Rounded off with the triumphant and explosive epic finale of ‘Show Me Yours’, the album feels like the kind of rallying cry the hardcore scene can always find a place for. Far from reaching the twilight of their musical career, it seems Bitter Branches are just getting started and obviously have a lot to say.