Adding a distinctly American touch (hyperventilating hardcore vocalist, emo singing) on top of their Dark Tranquillity style makes the brew that much stronger.
A contemporary of legends like Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, Solomon Burke made a series of incredible recordings in the ’60s and ’70s. And then he vanished.
Even with a change of singers, the Long Island quartet somehow manage to sound tighter, more complex, less cliché, and more clever than 99% of their peers.
Strong melodic grooves meshed within a real aggressive hardcore/metallic frame. Think Poison The Well or From Autumn To Ashes with a bit more edge to it.
Tempos are as fast you can get without being “extreme,” there are Tipton/Downing guitar duels, and Spice (ex-Spiritual Beggars) screams as much as he sings.
Pop Unknown continue to get better with each release. The August Division, the band’s first full-length since leaving Deep Elm, is by far their finest hour.