Punching through the static nature of emo with an extremely forceful bass line, September is Falling start off their self-titled LP and fill it with a very rhythmic drum line and compelling vocals. With each part of the band fighting for the top of the hill, pushing out its fellow instruments as soon as an opportunity is reached, the bands intensity cannot be understated. The staggered nature of each of the tracks on the disc, exemplified most perfectly of “Maybe Someday” makes the band gain a new and interesting sound, as many of the bands that try to play with signatures get swept up and lose control of their own music, making what could be interesting into a long, boring and technical mess. Each track comes and goes before anyone can really get a feeling of its true nature, as September is Fallin is like the mythical chameleon, changing its form as it feels like it. The Unseen-like bass line of “This is What Happened”, a flowing and intricate beast provides a direct parallel with the incredibly simplistic guitar lines put forth.
The double-harmonies of “Hammer of Injury” both in the coupling that occurs and the disharmony that increases the variety of the track, are expertly done by the band and are done in such a way that does not aurally muck up the track. The acoustic guitar of “Still Hear the Sound” still seems a little too rough to fit with the rest of the tracks, and gives the entire track a more unfinished feel. The nuances of a piano would have made a world of difference during the track, and as a result, “Still Hear the Sound” is the nearest thing to a failure that the band can chalk up.
Reclaiming the throne for “I Drink Your Tears” the band finds some new influences, mixing together Dexter Holland’s Offspring guitar lines along with a sub 2:30 runtime that passes a listener by. September is Falling plays a style of emo/hard rock that is being done by 80% of bands currently out in the alternative scene today, but they can be distinguished from the pack because of their incredible musical talent. I don’t agree with Bad Samaritan that this is a full-length album, and would really love to hear and see if the band could pull off a 12-13 song full length.
Top Track: Hammer of Injury
Rating : 7.0/10
September is Falling – Self/Titled LP / 2004 Bad Samarian Records / 7 Tracks / http://www.septemberisfalling.com / http://www.badsamaritanrecords.com / Reviewed 05 October 2004