Posted on: September 2, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

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Walk begins Chances, and it immediately provides listeners with a heavy dose of emotional intensity and bombastic instrumentation. The band touches upon Brand New and Taking Back Sunday, but improves on the formula with the inclusion of a beefiness that will resound with listeners long after the disc ends. Downin’ straddles the line between pop-punk and emo-rock, while remaining eminently approachable for fans of rock and metal alike. While there are a lot of distinct twists and turns that Universe places into this track, the constituent elements of the band shine through easily. The space present between the guitar, drums, and vocals allows listeners to appreciate this multi-faceted act.

Chances is a rare example of an EP that successfully can showcase the nuance of a band in a limited space of time. On tracks like Orange Leaves, Universe can change up their sound considerably and approach a 311 / Incubus style, even if their own unique nucleus is maintained. Blue starts out in a straight-forward fashion, in the vein of Foo Fighters and Thrice, before the band can speed things up an place their indelible stamp on the recording. The band is flawless during this track, creating a rich and strong effort that seems foundational for any band that is wishing to create a successful recording.

Remember Me concludes the Chances EP, but it does not sound as if the band has wound down in the slightest. Rather, Remember Me is a bold track that seems to provide listeners with some semblance of where Universe will go on future releases. Check out Universe’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/universeband) for information regarding the band and any live shows that may be coming down the pipeline.

Top Tracks: Orange Leaves, Remember Me

Rating: 9.3/10

Universe – Chances CD Review / 2013 / 7 Tracks / http://universe.bandcamp.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/universeband

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