Traces – Traces

The post-hardcore scene is dominated by some large players and a series of well-worn formulas, making it a struggle for small, independent bands to join the action. If you drop a small stone in a big lake, the ripples aren’t likely to carry very far, so the best you can do is cast your stone with as much force as possible and hope the splash causes some attention. Traces do just that with their debut self-titled EP, which hits hard with its heavy riffs and excellent vocals, giving it just enough weight to make a statement.

“By Morning You’ll Be Gone” sets the scene well, its tippy-tappy guitar intro getting blown out of the water by a heavy riff that’s not only powerful, but grooves well too. As the instrumentals subside, the band’s key weapon reveals itself in the form of vocalist Joey Holiday. His soulful, R&B-style voice is akin to genre heavyweights Tyler Carter and Jonny Craig and provides an excellent contrast to the meaty instrumentation. “Of Servility” takes things up another notch, delivering a massive chorus that proves Holiday’s melody-writing credentials. From quick, R&B inspired vocal runs to powerfully delivered, soaring choruses, Holiday mixes up the melodies and arrangements well, providing a continuum of vocals over the record, ensuring it stays fresh throughout.

Traces was produced by former From First to Last guitarist Matt Good and the production style is reminiscent of Pierce the Veil’s most recent release. The instrumentals are similar in tone and approach to Collide With the Sky, offering crunching guitar riffs that seamlessly transition into up-tempo sections, to offer both heaviness and melody in equal measure. EP closer “Echoes” demonstrates this balance well, ending the record in emphatic fashion with not only the best vocal work of the record, but also punchy, powerful riffs.

Traces doesn’t offer too much variety in mood and style and as the band progress they’ll need to introduce more elements to their sound to prevent it becoming formulaic and stagnant. While Traces don’t bring innovation to the post-hardcore genre, they are at least well equipped with impressive talents; their hook-laden songs are well written and memorable and Holiday’s vocals give the band a core strength that’s impossible to overlook. This is a confident and accomplished debut EP that demonstrates a deep pool of potential within the band which, if they develop their sound effectively, should allow them to make waves in the future.