I've had quite a bit of post-black and post-metal offerings with which to whet my beak this year, but not a whole lot of post-hardcore. There is the new Bosse-de-Nage, but more on that another day. In the meantime, I was made aware of creepy-title, creep-artwork Erasure, I Realized The Fix Was In . While this new offering from Pittsburg's Annakarina is but 9 short minutes, I can't say that it failed to make an impression.
The usual hallmarks of the genre are all here: noisey guitars, shouted vocals, and a sense of raw energy. However, I think that Annakarina have managed to skillfully build a bit of a Frankenstein from bits of their peers that is a monster all its own. The faster moments reminded me of early Touche Amore both in the genuine vocal performance and jangling guitars; while the slower, groovier ones', are more akin to Fugazi. Meanwhile, the more aggressive shrieks and screams provide an element of Glassjaw or perhaps Blood Brothers.
In the end, all of these ingredients come together to form a cohesive whole. It's indie rock performed by a group that has been set on fire. The noise and dissonance is there, but held together with a glue of thoughtful riffs and varied pacing. I enjoyed this enough to pick up their 2014 album, Unceremony, as well. When you can name your own pricetag for both, how can you go wrong?
Post Review Edit: After spending more time with Unceremony, I have to implore you to buy this album whether the new EP left you wanting more or not. Their full length is a really essential piece of post-hardcore. Great vocals, stunning guitar work, excellent pacing, and even a bit of a progressive edge. Cheers.