i saw hell when i was with you is the surprisingly well-developed debut from downcast; Bristol’s latest alternative export. Despite the cartoonish album cover resembling 80s horror artwork and therefore hinting at stronger metal influences, fans of any lighter subgenres will find something to clutch their pearls at within this versatile record.
Opening with ‘Britannia Mills’, downcast immediately introduce new listeners to their brooding sound, fuelled with emotion. From the first play, one can already imagine the vice grip this will have over their fans when performed live. The gargantuan chorus hits incredibly strongly when the poignant lyrics are paired with drummer Jamie Hill’s subtle off-the-beat fills and harsh double kicks. His skill and the more intricate techniques he uses throughout the album shouldn’t go unnoticed as they add variation and powerful enhancements exactly when needed.
This is a stark contrast to the guitar, as Ben Lucas is sometimes lost in the noise and tracks without glaring instrumentation sections leaves him buried underneath. ‘Sylvan View’ is a classic exception as Knuckle Puck-like riffs give an extra emotive touch and increase the sorrowful demeanour. The lyrics of this track are particularly personal, giving no context. Feeling like a fly on the wall during a turbulent tragedy, one almost wishes they knew the whole story but are also glad they don’t. Similar can be said for third track ‘Catharsis’, where its all in the name. Fuelled by big hooks, fast rhythms and Liam Edwards’ gruff vocals, one can feel the relief channelled into every member’s performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIWtji4GsCs
Another honourable mention is ‘Hell’. Lucas holds a much clearer tune and is given much more room to breathe as the instrumentation is rather stripped back in comparison to others. Giving a similar vibe to Stand Atlantic, it represents the more modern side of pop punk, encapsulating the peppiness alongside angst. The most commendable thing about this particular track is the songwriting itself. While the track doesn’t consistently scream pop punk, the elements of the subgenre pick up to push the slower track when necessary but peter off at the right times to mark them as effective interjections rather than an overpoweringly omnipresent. It must be said, however, that the closing riff is genuinely frustrating to listen to as it’s just uncalled for. To any future listeners, just skip the last 3 seconds and save yourself the confusion.
Moving on from whatever that was, the final two tracks of the album are stand-out moments. ‘Mistakes That I Have Made’ runs the risk of sounding too similar to Boston Manor (as does ‘Britannia Mills’) but is a brilliant alt rock anthem nonetheless. One of the strongest on the album, the powerful double kicks and the introduction of Edwards’ shouted vocals convey pent up passion as well as hatred. Closing track ‘I Want To Love Again’ features more production and less layered instrumentation that allows the vocals and lyrics of hope and sadness to take centre stage. Offering something completely different, its refreshing to experience something new so far into the record.
From alternative anthems to emo ballads, downcast have made the right decision when whittling down their tracks. A common mistake far too many bands make is assuming they must hit 11-14 songs, regardless of their quality. Here, we’re presented with 9 strong tracks that have all earnt their place, free of fillers and repetition. While there are areas where they could go further and give us more of what is sometimes only merely hinted at, this is a very, very strong introduction into what downcast are capable of.