“I hope to God that I still make you proud.”
Few bands in the scene touch listeners’ emotions as frequently and as poignantly as Welsh melodic hardcore treasures Casey. With the release of their 2015 debut EP Fade, and subsequent follow-up albums in the form of Love Is Not Enough (2016) and Where I Go When I Am Sleeping (2018), the group gained a cult following of loyal fans enamoured by the confessional lyrics of lead vocalist Tom Weaver and the expressive instrumentals written by the rest of the band.
As a result, their surprise return following a three-year hiatus sparked excitement and celebration, particularly with return singles “Great Grief” and “Atone”, both cementing themselves as superb additions to the band’s catalogue. Fast-forward a year and Casey have penned their third full-length, How to Disappear, displaying all the features Casey that made them loved thus far, while also clearly demonstrating a new era for the band.
While long-time fans may at first be hesitant to embrace How to Disappear due to its lack of hardcore aggression relative to previous releases, the band’s increased focus on melody and atmosphere pays off massively. Lyrically, the album is noticeably less imposing than previous releases; rather than focusing on the resent which Weaver feels towards those who have hurt him, the album is more reflective of how he has learned from his relationships, romantic and familial alike, and how he has grown as a person. The result is lyrically their most mature and sophisticated offering yet, and that is reflected, too, in the instrumentals. Guitarists Toby Evans and Liam Torrance focus considerably less on distorted energetic passages, instead filling space with gorgeous ambient sections and highly expressive lead work.
Most notably, there is a heavy abundance of clean guitar sections that reflect the lyrics with a mood which somehow feels simultaneously cold and dark but also warm and comforting. This is particularly notable in sombre opening cut “Unique Lights”, the absolutely stunning and melodic “For Katie” which additionally features some extremely spacey and captivating synth-work, and the all-encompassing closing title track. Such a sound is perfectly complementary to Weaver’s more sombre lyrical content, and demonstrates the band clearly working in tandem with the same goal in mind, portraying a truly remarkable chemistry.
The ambience and atmosphere across the record firmly grips Casey into their new era. While the unit have always done this well and emphasised it more than the bulk of their counterparts, particularly on Where I Go When I Am Sleeping, How to Disappear sees the group flexing their ability to achieve this sound more than ever before. Take, for example, “Selah”, a track which sees Weaver desperately seeking help from a higher power to assist him in his struggles; to complement this theme of spirituality, the sonic soundscapes of the track are gospel-like, prominently featuring ambient synthesizers which sound almost saintly in nature. Evans and Torrance play into this theme by focusing on their gorgeous clean guitar tones and slowly building a soundscape around these synths that serves as the perfect thematic backdrop for Weaver’s spiritual trifles, slowly building a tension which reaches as stunning pay-off in the bridge as distorted guitars flood the scene. Nuances such as this demonstrate the impressive ability of Casey’s songwriting. Also worth mentioning for their atmospheric achievements are late-album stunners “Space Between” and “Blush”, sporting equally gorgeous soundscapes which serve to fully envelop the listener and build a scene of tranquillity.
Now, this is not at all to say that the group’s melodic hardcore roots are fully absent on the record. In-fact, that is not the case at all; “Sanctimonious”, “Bite Through My Tongue”, “Those That I’m Survived By”, and “Puncture Wounds to Heaven” all feature quite prominent sections of aggression which are built into the progressions of the tracks with overwhelming success. While these songs certainly focus more on the melodic and cleaner side of the group’s sound, livelier moments are inserted as both emotional release and to walk the listener through the stories Casey are telling. It is also in these tracks that drummer Max Nicolai and bassist Adam Smith truly demonstrate how integral they are in this band; the heavier moments on the album give both of them greater opportunities to come to the forefront, creating driving and energetic rhythm sections that capitalise perfectly on these sections’ purpose of serving as moments of emotional release. Equally revealing is the transition back into the ‘quiet‘ sections, where Nicolai and Smith tone back their contributions in order to allow the atmosphere to take precedence once again — an aspect of their songwriting that gives insight into why they were able to truly tell these stories so successfully.
With all of that said, Casey’s greatest asset is their ability to connect to listeners on a personal level and provide a form of what in many ways can only be described as musical consolation. In doing so, listeners a bond with the music which elevates itself over simple enjoyment; it becomes something else completely. For me, it was love at first sight as opening track “Unique Lights” put me in a trance with its gorgeous atmosphere and quaint nature, but nothing could have prepared me for what was to follow. I lost my father in August of 2023, and the relationship which I had with him was one which I was extremely lucky to have had; he was not just my father, but my best friend who impacted every aspect of my life in ways that I could not even begin to describe. Thus, as soon as Weaver opened his mouth on the beautiful memorial piece “I Was Happy When You Died”, I quite literally burst into tears. While the title suggests an angry and hate-filled track, it is in actuality a track explaining the process of grief and learning that those you love never truly leave you. Instead, they remain forever in the form of memories, the lessons they taught you, and finding reminders of the love they gave you in the small things.
For the last couple weeks, I have been having reoccurring dreams where I relive the happiest of memories with my dad, only to wake up and remember that I will never have the opportunity to make more of these memories again. Every time this happens, the first thing I do upon waking up is pull my phone out and listen to “I Was Happy When You Died” on repeat until I am done crying, and that is the effect Casey can have on their listeners. Never has a track explaining the grieving process resonated with me so deeply and cut straight through to my soul, and for that I can safely say that I am grateful for Casey’s existence as a whole. It showed me just how special of a band they are and how much they can do for their listeners as soon as their heart is open to them — the track has already done more for me than I can explain, and I am quite sure that everyone can find solace at least somewhere in the album’s diverse and confrontational themes.
Emotional, confessional, and downright therapeutic, How to Disappear demonstrates Casey triumphantly reclaiming their throne as one of the scene’s most cherished bands. The album introduces a form of Casey which is more nuanced, mature, and reflective than ever, that has seen them piece together some of their finest work and should rightfully see wider recognition. These songs harness an uncanny ability to provide comfort through the band laying down all the deepest aspects of their soul, good and not, for their listeners to observe. There is a deep authenticity to How to Disappear, with nothing sensationalised, nothing twisted, and nothing hidden. Casey‘s return graces the scene with some of its most devastatingly sincere music to date.
9/10
How To Disappear releases January 12th via Hassle Records, and you can pre-order it here.