Sonically, Suffer Summer is like this gorgeous ode to mid-’90’s Alt Rawk along the same lines of what SPICE was doing on their 2020 self-titled debut with Chastity (AKA Brandon Williams) managing to tap into a different kind of raw power bringing guitar tones which dwell in the Post-Hardcore realm and giving fans a sound akin to Handsome mixed with Sunny Day Real Estate.
“Real World” is just instantly iconic and recognizable causing a warm yet dizzying case of deja vu with these memorable massive wall of guitar sounds along with Williams’ brazen yearning. “Pummeling” is filled with gorgeous, glistening vocal melodies and choruses and backed by driving guitars and, ahem, a pummeling drum performance. “Dying To Live” and “Vicious Circle” (Featuring Dallas Green of Alexisonfire) both share some DNA with The Flaming Lips and the intricate conundrum that is Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots while “The Barbed Wire Fence Around Happiness” is just HUGE with a nice build that opens into this crushing landscape that positively sparkles.
“Somersault” begins with a not so subtle nod to Smashing Pumpkins’ classic “1979” while “Overstimulate” is a rollicking rawker through and through and filled with the kind of bold bravado that permeated an era where flannel was the be all/end all of fashion before a serene piano-laden outro thematically takes the track to a lush new place. Williams shines yet again with the anthemic closer “Smiling” which closes the trilogy of records started with 2018’s Death Lust by ramping up the melody for a (mostly) acoustic number that brings to mind Blind Melon and Flickerstick with the way the rhythm section bounces while the guitars scream to the heavens. It’s a simple dichotomy but says a lot about what Chastity brings with each new release.
Suffer Summer arrives on January 13th through Deathwish Inc/Dine Alone Records and you can pre-order yours now by clicking here or here. For the latest on Chastity, follow them across ye olde social network sites when you head here, here, or here.