“Lusting for something that feels brand new.”
Following a steady rollout of singles over the past six months, Chicago pop-punk trio Belmont are set to release their third full-length record Liminal. The album arrives two years on from their sophomore effort Aftermath, which saw the group start to move away from their no-frills pop-punk roots. By incorporating livelier guitar work, heavier textures, electronic flourishes, and curveball mix-ins from genres like trap and country into their sound, the end result proved to be a fun, fresh, and boundary-pushing release in a scene that seems to grow more and more stagnant each day. But whereas Aftermath saw Belmont experimenting with a variety of different sonic palettes and influences, on Liminal, the group dials things back and instead leans a bit harder into the easycore side of their musical identity.
The line between pop-punk and easycore is a blurred one, but Belmont have shown that they are able to successfully toe the line between the two, utilizing spots of grittier vocals and the occasional breakdown to give their sound a bit of an edge. Lead single and opening track “SSX Trickmont” makes efficient use of this approach, pairing pop-punk melodicism with easycore sensibilities and some jungle and dnb-inspired drum work from Brian Lada. Vocalist Taz Johnson shows off his fluid cadence early with the track’s punchy chorus and taps into the harsher part of his range in its breakdown, while the frenetic riffing across the track from Jason Inguagiato helps give Belmont a mathy twist that has helped set them apart from their contemporaries. By all means, “SSX Trickmont” is a strong opener and an early demonstration of many of the trio’s strengths—but it also sets the precedent for what ends up being the record’s largest pitfall.
While there are still certain genre-defying elements and standout moments to be found across Liminal’s runtime, they don’t quite do enough to challenge the limitations of the sound Belmont seems to have pigeonholed themselves into. Shorter cuts “Moxie” and “Dark Paradise” and late entries “B3ND BUDGE” and “N2” play it safe as the most overtly pop-punk tracks on the record. Pulsating electronics flit through title track “Liminal”, the subsequent “Day By Day”, and closing track “I Don’t Really Care” but don’t do much to really influence or shape them. “SSX Trickmont” and “All Bite” contain the heaviest moments on the entire record, but the songs’ cookie cutter packaging is a disservice to those moments. Somber instrumental intros on “B3ND BUDGE” and “I Don’t Really Care” show initial promise but are short-lived as they swiftly transition into their opening verses.
The brief sample used on second track “Two’s a Party” (which will be instantly recognizable to many, and continues an interesting pattern of pop culture references across the band’s discography) manages to be one of the record’s most fun and surprising moments, though it leads into a tame breakdown/bridge section before the final chorus rounds things out. “Counterfeit” makes use of the same tactic, using a meta voice note to lead into its own breakdown that, while fun in its own right, leaves an impression akin to having already witnessed a party trick and it not landing as effectively on subsequent go-arounds.
Though the tracks on Liminal present themselves as a cohesive package, the trappings of formulaic songwriting and a lack of significant creative risk-taking leads to a sense of Belmont having reached a plateau in their development. While many of the qualities that set the group apart from the pack are still present, they feel constrained without that extra little bit of innovation the group had previously tapped into. If relatively safe, albeit fun and solid, easycore and pop-punk is what you’re looking for, then Liminal is the release for you. But those looking for a fresher take may want to look elsewhere, and hope that future Belmont releases see the group return to form.
6/10
Liminal is set to release this Friday April 12th via Pure Noise Records, with pre-orders for the record available here.