Swancore. The titular genre popularized by Dance Gavin Dance’s now-legendary guitarist Will Swan has become something of a phenomenon in the world of Post-Hardcore. A genre that, while not often producing chart-topping groups, has procured a sizable and insanely dedicated fanbase. Its noodly Math Rock-inspired riffage, its use of (typically high-pitched) clean singing, and its method of compacting extremely technical musicianship into tight, easy to consume packages are the overarching motifs of the genre, and what most bands in seem to follow; but no band seems to quite embody the spirit of the Swancore as much as Hail the Sun.
Now on their fourth studio album, Hail the Sun have made a name for themselves being a consistent, fun and accessible Swancore group – but this record is different. I’m going to be bold here and make a fairly declarative statement right off the bat: New Age Filth may just be one of the, if not the best Swancore album(s) ever made.
Allow me to explain myself a little. One of the issues I find with a lot of bands of this style is there tends to be a catch with even the better releases of the genre. Be it a musical gimmick, or filler tracks, or whatever else, there seems to always be something that leaves me just wanting more out of a lot of these projects. Even some of my favourites of the genre are guilty of this. Dance Gavin Dance’s 2020 album Afterburner was and still is one of my favourite albums of that year, but there were moments on that record where I couldn’t help but think to myself “man, I kinda wish the entire album was like this” (see: Andrew Wells’ vocal feature on Dance Gavin Dance’s “Nothing Shameful”). At times it feels as if some of these bands only put their very best elements on display a few times on their albums, and as much of this really is down to what you look for in these albums, the curse may have been broken here.
Hail the Sun, and particularly here on New Age Filth, have found a way to masterfully cut through the bullshit to give you the goods. This record is 10 tracks and 38 minutes of sublime Post-Hardcore perfection, and easily one of the best albums of the decade thus far. All killer, no filler. No gimmicks, no catches.
Opening track “Domino” kicks the album off with this infectiously strange guitar passage, before kicking into an explosive verse. The song doesn’t let up even for a second either, leading you from section to section without a moment’s notice. The massive chorus sandwiched between a gorgeous guitar solo and a surprisingly fitting blast beat passage on the drums; the sublime, reserved bridge leading smoothly into a noisy, Mathy and Prog Rock-tinged outro. It’s a real cold open of a number, and arguably the best way they could’ve possibly set the stage for an album like this.
Mid-album track “Parasitic Cleanse” takes the tempo up a notch, opening with a quick clean guitar lick exploding into frantic guitar chugging and piercing screamed vocals, as vocalist and drummer Donovan Melero blares out “8/6, 8:15” (the date and time of the Hiroshima bomb). The infamous bomb’s dropping is the perfect analogy for how this song feels to experience, like an explosive shock after the calm before the storm lulls you into a sense of security. It’s a real curveball, and a welcome one at that.
As a juxtaposition, penultimate track “Devaluation” brings the tempo down to a mellow pace, serving as a beautiful melodic and stripped back breather, giving Melero’s voice space to sit at the forefront. This is, of course, before the song typically explodes into controlled chaos in the last minute or so. It’s one of the most simultaneously gorgeous and frenetic songs on the whole record, and brilliantly sets up the peppy, sublime and melodic closer “Punch Drunk.” This song further embodies the record’s fantastic dichotomy; contrasting the smooth melodic verses with the massive, chugging guitars found on the chorus and the piercing screams and distorted soloing on display during the song’s bridge.
The songwriting across this thing in general feels incredibly dynamic, even for a genre defined by its wild, irreverent dynamics and experimental song structures. It feels like every moment of this record has been considered to the nth degree, helping New Age Filth achieve the rare accolade of feeling like it earns every single moment, big or small, and that’s no small feat.
I can’t overstate just how fantastic Melero’s performances across this record are, too. His earworm choruses, fantastically emotive screams and intricate drumming are truly something to behold. He’s really the star of the show on this album, and that’s not a slight at the other members. Lead guitarist Shane Gunn glides across the fretboard with seeming ease; crafting these intricate, technical and fun riffs all across the record. It seems like with New Age Filth, no expense was spared in any sector of this album’s production, giving it a feeling of being a truly complete piece of work.
Part of me wishes the album was a bit longer, because I truly can’t get enough of it, but I concede and understand that lengthening the record could compromise the integrity of just how insanely concise New Age Filth is. With this record, Hail the Sun have triumphantly declared themselves the kings of Swancore, and perhaps Post-Hardcore in general. This album is truly something special, and if there’s any justice in the world, this record will go down in history as one of the genre’s most celebrated releases. New Age Filth is out now on Rude Records, and you can stream/purchase it here. For all things Post-Hardcore and music in general, keep your eyes on Boolin Tunes.
10/10