Glasseater

Glasseater's second full-length is an insidiously catchy concoction of pop punk melodies and singing, hardcore's screamed vocals, slashing metal riffs and emo's naivety and vulnerable lyrical content, which would be embarrassing if it wasn't so honest and earnest. While it shouldn't work, it does, side-stepping from pop to metal and back again before anyone has time to either be harshed by the anger of the later or forget the melodies of the former. The fact that they combine these disparate elements and pull it off makes 7 Years Bad Luck one of the catchiest records of the year. While there is nothing new or groundbreaking, and some of their metal and rock parts sound a little borrowed and redundant, Glasseater's combination of saccharine and spite is a welcome refrain from either the unending testosterone of hardcore, the bleakness of metal and the frailty of pop. Tracks like "A New Day," "7 Years Bad Luck" and "Words To Make Up" best demonstrate Glasseater's sonic abilities and insecurities, both pulling in the listener and pushing away at the same time. Ultimately, Glasseater's sound is one that is friendly enough to push them into the mainstream while retaining just enough heaviness to not alienate fans of melodic aggression, a trick they just might pull off given half a chance.