Cemetery Drive – “Searchlight”
Cemetery Drive released their latest EP, “Searchlight” on July 13. Their five new songs are a pop-punk treat, leaning more on the punk side with sprinkles of screamo. The band banks on timeless themes of love and self-searching– all too recognized (and welcome!) pop-punk motifs. This group is especially for fans of State Champs and their early releases. Especially familiar is the actual name of the band itself– My Chemical Romance anyone?
From a mixing standpoint, these songs check all of those boxes necessary for the genre: punchy drums, crystal-clear vocals with enough room above the instrumentals, and polished electric guitars.
As the first track of the EP, “Feeling Lost” doesn’t hold anything back. The wordiness of the verses welcomes the chorus, with a memorable last line, “watch it disappear.” Even more memorable was the post-chorus breakdown, which was a short and necessary depart from the verse-chorus structure. The song as a well-paced introduction carries the torch into “Here To Listen.” It’s a near-perfect segue because both songs have a similar key, energy, and tempo. “Here to Listen” is a highlight from “Searchlight” because of its lyrical simplicity, melodic flow, and energy.
“Candles” boasts a heartwarming chorus about lighting a candle to feel someone closer. While the instrumentation, energy, and overall tone of the song stray too far from the lyrical content, this won’t be an issue if you’re in the middle of a mosh pit. “Candles” could benefit from a solo acoustic performance, especially without heavy harmonies. That’s not to say the harmonies in other songs did not work, like in the chorus of “Here to Listen.”
“5 Years” continues with a grand stadium sound that complements the prior compositions. The EP’s finale, “Find Away,” is a fantastic track to end the release. It’s a proper, head-banging sendoff for “Searchlight” with a bittersweet tone.
“Searchlight” is a killer studio release that respects the listener. Its songs are long enough to dance to, and don’t overstay their welcome. And because Cemetery Drive has high replay value, it is a welcome addition to the genre. It doesn’t do anything different– but it doesn’t have to because it sounds great. In the words of The Story So Far, “Searchlight” is a proper dose of heavy pop punk.
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