Safety – ‘Congratulate Me, I’ve Lost My Mind’ EP Review
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
Upon my first listen to the new Safety EP I was struck with familiar sounds. Recently there has been a big emergence of Eastern pop-punk acts, from Rust Belt Lights to Pentimento, I heard plenty of other influences embedded deep in their punk roots. I even had a glowing reminder of Autopilot Off. Congratulate Me, I’ve Lost My Mind is their latest EP released from Community Records.
The EP begins kicking and aggressive with ‘The Shadow Over Brooklyn.’ The vocals have this unique boom to their sound, as if they are being shouted from the back of an auditorium. It gives a bit more urgency to the harsher verses, while adding a bit of reverb in their very melodic chorus. As the final chorus is unleashed there is an overwhelming amount of vocals present which really shows the immense passion and energy that went into recording this track. All three members give it their all, ending in a very anthemic way.
After such a vicious opening, the band surely couldn’t keep it up, right? The answer is found immediately in the next track, ‘A Wealth Of Sorrows In A Few Words.’ The drum patterns are worth making note here, being very technical and constantly giving each new part something to trot around to. ‘Final Cosmic Flash’ has the darkest chord progression in the EP, seeing the group encounter an asteroid shower and bombastically crashing with each strike to the Earth. Even if the band was struck by a meteor, their music bursts into flames with the energy and rarity of it all. The bridge section has more of an interesting breakdown than most of the chug bands out there, collapsing with a destructive guitar riff embedded in the crushing chords.
‘Ultraviolet Light’ shows how crafty the band can be with their songwriting. A melancholy instrumental piece takes hold hold over the first minute of the tune before kicking into a reflective punk track. ‘Derealized’ is the track to close the album, also being one of the softer songs on the album. It’s a song filled with disruptive, biting lyrics and bright guitar chords. The contrast helps a bit.
Congratulate Me, I’ve Lost My Mind is five tracks stretching 17 minutes. The songs are not genre bending, but rather momentum growing for a smaller act such as this. The trio that is Safety have their talents and moments, and it is no question within a few years this group will be touring along side the greats. We just need a few more consistent releases. Don’t sleep on this.
7.25/10
Pickup The LP Here: http://communityrecords.org/releases/safety-congratulate-me-lost-mind/
