Deathrock and gothic rock never truly went away, but it’s felt like over the past decade the styles have seen a resurgence and quite a few of the more prominent metal labels have had established and newer bands on their roster. Final Gasp is one of the relative newcomers, as they formed in 2019 and gave the musicians in their ranks a chance to explore different territory outside of the slew of hardcore and punk adjacent projects they were involved in. Initially Final Gasp retained a lot of its hardcore roots, as its first two EP’s felt like Samhain and Misfits run through some crust and other heavier styles. By 2023’s Mourning Moon the sound had shifted towards a wider range of influences, and this has been taken to the next logical evolution for follow-up New Day Symptoms. Compared to some of the aggressive forward songs of its predecessor, New Day Symptoms opts for a darker, somber atmosphere and a bit more emphasis on melody, tapping into a different side of the band’s sound.
Final Gasp hasn’t necessarily mellowed out to the point where their metallic sheen has been completely removed, but if you compare early songs like “Look Away” or “The Apparition” they emphasize different tempos and textures. The latter pulls from a similar set of influences as Unto Others, layering drearier melodies over top of a heavier foundation in ways that blur the lines between gothic rock and metal. You do get some faster bursts of hardcore throughout New Day Symptoms, but it’s clear that where Mourning Moon was built on fire and grit this one is more reflective and moodier. “No Hand to Lead” shifts between mid-tempo riffs and ballad territory, while closer “Pale Sun” has some of the softest melodies the band has ever written. It’s also evident that even more post punk has crept in alongside the deathrock foundation, as “Burials of Birth” guitar work reminds me a lot of Night Time and Brighter Than A Thousand Suns era Killing Joke. Final Gasp covers quite a bit of ground here, though admittedly this album took several times through to really grow on me. I think this is due to the more methodical pacing and introspective slant, and while a few of the songs did blur together when the band really nailed that mix of jagged edges and somber melodies it left a lasting impression.
Vocalist Jake Murphy sounded very close to Glenn Danzig circa his time in Samhain on Final Gasp’s earlier material, but as time has gone on his approach has evolved and become more nuanced. Tracks like “Gifted Shame” are a great example of what Murphy can do, as you get deeper singing that hovers over the recording alongside harsher screaming that grabs your attention due to how it cuts through the melodic layers. It’s an interesting mix between some of the gruffer deathrock and gothic pitches of the 80s and 90s alongside hardcore’s bite, and on this effort both sides have been further expanded on. Closer “Pale Sun” not only has some of the mellowest instrumentation the band has offered, but it does the same for the vocals and there are some genuinely haunting and beautiful moments.
On their sophomore full length Final Gasp has branched out further towards some post punk and gothic rock elements that showcase a somber and slightly slower side of their sound. They haven’t lost the metallic and hardcore edges or deathrock pulse, but the shift in focus is noticeable and gives this album a different overall vibe. I do think Mourning Moon stands out just a bit more for me in part because of its more aggressive edge, but that doesn’t diminish how strong the material on this release is once you’ve given it some time to grow. New Day Symptoms is available from Relapse Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg