Since By Man

A record that perfectly bridges the somewhat disparate sonic worlds of the band’s debut full-length and recent EP, Pictures from the Hotel Apocalypse delivers on all the promise laid out by Since By Man’s past work. With We Sing the Body Electric, the band’s first release, their blend of Refused-influenced hardcore was meshed with electronic elements and crisp production, making for a challenging and unique release. Their subsequent EP, A Love Hate Relationship, was a massive departure, ditching all of their full-length’s electronic elements in favour of a purely natural, slightly sloppier sound that they adopted with perfect grace. The EP still rocked with just as much fervour and abandon, though — maybe even more so. For this release, the band have brought together both sounds, fusing some of their sloppier, dirtier tendencies with precision drum fills and razor-sharp guitar tracks that slice through the mix on songs like "Quid Pro Quo Motherfucker.” Especially on tracks such as the brilliant "Binary Heart Attack,” the result of this amalgamation of sonic worlds is a tremendous success, allowing the band the opportunity to sound heavy as hell while keeping some truly interesting sonic elements clicking in the background. For an example of this, look no further than the breakdown with a dance beat that comes in "The Neon Wilderness.”