Poison The Well

After an ill-advised shift away from hardcore conglomerate Trustkill to mainstream corporation Atlantic, Poison the Well have landed right where they belong this time around. Boasting their best songwriting since The Opposite Of December and a somewhat baffling leap into new territory, the group’s first effort for Ferret is bound to be a love it or hate it affair. Wholehearted, genuinely evocative experimentation is plentiful here — everything from banjos and slide guitars to crusty, Cursed-esque hardcore, most notably present in lead-off single "Letter Thing.” Other tracks, such as "Slow Good Morning,” venture into full-on, sludge-infused country balladry. The astounding thing is how resounding a success Versions actually is, especially considering the two awkward transitional records it took for the group to reach this point. Occasionally, Jeffrey Moreira’s vocals sound a bit limited in range, although he has grown and matured in many ways as a vocalist. Those who have given up on Poison the Well in recent years would do well to give this record a chance. This is the album they have struggled to bring to fruition since their debut and the first truly progressive hardcore album of the year.