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If Bloom aren’t already on your 2024 musical radar of bands to watch out for, then this is a gentle but firm warning that they no doubt soon will be.
Originating from the other side of the world in Australia, Bloom are a melodic hardcore band that are already making some significant and choppy waves in the underground music scene. Playing alongside the likes of Bad Omens, Holding Absence, Void of Vision, and many more all across the world, they seem to show absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon, what with the upcoming release of their debut album Maybe In Another Life, released through the almighty Pure Noise Records.
A dreamy soundscape, courtesy of the opening track An Entry, slowly drifts its way through your ears, with its beautiful chords ringing out only to reverse back in on itself halfway through – building up a momentum that eventually explodes with the next self-titled track, and 2nd lead single, Maybe In Another Life, which well and truly bursts into life from the get-go. Immediately, hints of late 2000s metalcore are recognised and the mix of unclean and clean vocals comes at you like a tidal wave. The breakdown is crushing and sets the precedent for more of what’s to come. By the time you cycle through to the album’s lead single, Bound to Your Whispers, it feels like they’re only going to get better from here, and you’d be correct in thinking so. Wasting no time in getting straight to the point with its frenetic energy and blast beats, the group blesses the listener with 3 minutes of metal bliss, including what is easily my favourite breakdown of the whole record.
It’s also worth talking about the 71-second behemoth that is Laughing Stock, a track that took me by surprise on the first listen. It feels like it goes 100mph in its short time, and also goes hard whilst it does so, spanning over hardcore with pop-punk flawlessly. The breakdown is crushing, and its final lyric refrain of “Maybe I’ll slit my wrists, just to feel something better than this” made my heart stand still – it left me stunned and wanting to hear more. And the last track, Through the Threshold, Beyond the Bend, is a strong finisher, which includes my favourite lyric on the album, “Never took a chance to stop and smell the roses/I’m buried beneath, as my body decomposes”. And the final line “Maybe in another life” calls back to the album’s title, and acts as a nice knot to tie it all together. The record seems to be split into 2 different styles when you split the 10 tracks in half; the first 5 songs are blisteringly heavy and hardcore infused, whereas the last 5 songs lean more towards a pop punk-esque style, with clean vocals and dreamy guitars. Whether accidental or not, it works and shows the countless number of musical influences that the band have.
As the album ends, one can’t help but feel that they’ve experienced something groundbreaking. For a band like Bloom, whose one goal is to put their heart and soul into every body of work they create and every song they put out, it establishes a glowing testament that this is the sound of a band on the up and one that will not be slowing down anytime soon. Again, as a reminder, Bloom need to be put on your 2024 radar. Now.
Review – Joe Richardson
‘Maybe In Another Life’ is available via Pure Noise Records, here.
Connect with Bloom on social media, here.
Photo credit – Jack Fontes @fontesvisuals
