Bitter Branches Unleash ‘Along Came A Bastard’ EP

Post-hardcore supergroup Bitter Branches have shared their new dual-track EP, Along Came A Bastard, via Equal Vision Records. Composed of Tim Singer (Deadguy, Kiss It Goodbye, No Escape), guitarists Matt Ryan (Calvary) and Kevin Sommerville (Lighten Up!), bassist Brian Kantorek (Go! For The Throat, The Curse) and drummer Jeff Tirabassi (Walleye), the band eschews genre expectations to give the listener something special – an exploration of the musical pedigree the groups legendary lineup has honed throughout years of touring and recording.

The EP is a high octane mixture of post-hardcore and gritty alternative punk that propels forward at breakneck speeds with an emotive energy that rivals any summer blockbuster. The title track starts with a slow-burning, serpentine riff and anguished vocal that crescendos and recedes throughout 3:40 of fury. On the flip side Fraudulent hits with a more straightforward type of controlled chaos that carries the tune to an explosive ending that speaks to the groups expertise in crafting compelling (and catchy) hardcore. 

“We need to flip the premise. Instead of talking about ‘bad apples’, we need to come at it from the angle of ‘we are only as good as our worst actors’. That’s the only path to change. If you join a shitty organization with shitty practices, you are now part of the problem no matter how nice of a guy you might be.” 

You can stream Along Came A Bastard here and pre-order it on vinyl here.