Reunions from long dormant or disbanded bands continue to be a trend of 2023, and the last quarter of the year in particular has brought a slew of unexpected releases. You can now add Codeseven to that list, as the North Carolina based group has emerged from a nineteen-year slumber with Go Let It In. While they started off on the heavier side of the post hardcore spectrum in the mid to late 90’s, by 2002’s The Rescue Codeseven had pivoted towards a melodic and alternative rock influenced sound. If you do a quick search of the band you’ll often see The Rescue and 2004’s Dancing Echoes / Dead Sounds drawing comparisons to what Cave In was doing around the same time, though the material was even mellower. With Go Let It In, Codeseven has attempted to build on the sweeping and cinematic sound they had established almost two decades ago, and the results prove they still have plenty left to say.
Each of the band’s albums has emphasized something different, and for Go Let It In the emphasis seems to be on big sweeping hooks and cinematic elements. Codeseven is still firmly in alternative rock territory, so don’t expect a sudden return to hardcore, but there are heavy moments that hit a bit harder than you’d guess. Stylistically the material has a lot of post rock and space rock baked in, with the electronic elements adding depth to the material that becomes more apparent with each listen. Sometimes it reminds me of Failure on tracks like “Laissez-Faire” where the shimmering melodies have a similar sense of wonder and fullness, while others give off a vibe closer to the likes of Junius or Caspian. Yet Codeseven continues to have a feeling all their own that is achieved by how diverse Go Let It In is on the songwriting front. Despite the bulk of the material being built around huge peaks that incorporate a lot of layers, how each one gets there is fairly different, and this makes for a lot of highlights as you make your way through the album. Opener “Fixated” goes for moodier, dark tinged electronics and a methodical approach, while “Starboard” uses a driving tempo that plays to the alt-rock side of the band’s sound. There are also surprises like “Hold Tight”, which starts off with a heavier bass line and a soaring chorus that would’ve easily been a radio hit in the mid-2000s but doubles down on the heavy side of the spectrum during the last few minutes with an almost metallic sheen. Some of the hooks are deceptively simple and have that immediate appeal, but there remains plenty of smaller details that have kept me coming back to discover what I missed. Admittedly a few of the slower paced tracks do take a bit to get going and drag slightly, but as a whole it feels like Codeseven has naturally expanded upon The Rescue and Dancing Echoes / Dead Sounds and taken things to an entirely new level.
Jeff Jenkins’ voice is in fine form throughout Go Let It In, as his voice is able to soar alongside the instrumental melodies but also offers a bit of grit during the heavier moments. On “Fixated” he initially reminds me a bit of Christopher Hall from Stabbing Westward, but this gives way to a lighter pitch that is sure to give off hints of a slew of alternative rock bands from the past three decades. “Hold Tight” is another track where the chorus sounds like it would’ve been all over the radio had this come out in the mid-2000s, as the singing has this earworm quality to it that instantly gets stuck in your head. Like the instrumentation, there are smaller nuances to the vocals that become clear over repeat listens, and Jenkins varies his approach on many of the songs in ways that stand out. Considering a lot of bands in this genre live and die by the strength of their singer, Codeseven continues to be in good hands.
Veteran bands returning after a long hiatus brings a unique set of challenges, as sometimes they completely pivot away from what made them stand out in the first place while other times they try too hard to replicate old material. Codeseven has succeeded in naturally building upon the direction they were exploring two decades ago without rehashing it, and they have the hooks and sweeping atmosphere to back it up. December is always a tough time for new music to come out as the Internet gets swept up in Best of the Year mania, but hopefully this one won’t be overlooked as I know I’ll get mileage out of it for months to come. Go Let It In is available from Equal Vision Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg