“Sewing the thread of life through a needle’s еye.”
Long Goodbye have rapidly cemented themselves as one of the UK’s most promising young hardcore acts. Show after show, they’ve raised the bar, leaving a trail of chaos and energy in their wake. Their debut EP, I Used to Dream of Drowning (2024), made it clear that the North East outfit had found their true voice. Now, just over a year later, they return with a fresh release that proves their momentum is only building, and if you haven’t yet witnessed these tracks live, you’re in for something special.
Where I Used to Dream of Drowning cuts like a sharp, deliberate, and unrelenting dagger, to reconcile with death for the sake of a beautiful ending feels less like closure and more like being struck with a barbed baseball bat: every swing brutal, each hit landing with both raw power and jagged precision. Long Goodbye effortlessly merge hardcore’s familiar chugs and two-step riffs with eerie, intricate guitar work, pushing into uncharted territory with striking confidence.
There’s a newfound maturity to this release, one that brings nuance without sacrificing the chaos. Atmosphere takes center stage, built through a careful mix of electronics, samples, and warped guitar tones that pull you deeper into their world. The band’s signature guitar tone returns, but this time it’s sharper, more sinister, slithering in and out at just the right moments to stir unease. Layered on top are Patrick Morton’s unhinged vocals, which at times feel downright demonic, driving the record’s haunting energy to its peak.
If you’ve caught Long Goodbye live recently, you’ll already have a sense of their intensity, but this EP still holds more than a few surprises. “A Heart in Disrepair“, for instance, is built entirely around atmosphere and narrative, a direction the band had scarcely explored before. The focus on flow feels sharper than ever, and for the most part, Long Goodbye pull it off with ease. That said, not every transition between tracks lands perfectly, but still, the intent is clear, and the missteps are minor in the bigger picture.
Perhaps the most unexpected twist is the arrival of clean vocals, a feature the band had previously avoided. Their restrained use works in the EP’s favor, adding contrast without diluting the grit. It’s unclear what inspired their inclusion now, but in context, they make perfect sense. Whilst the cleans won’t leave jaws on the floor, they’re executed well enough to add dimension rather than distraction.
All told, to reconcile with death for the sake of a beautiful ending is a powerful follow-up to an already rock-solid debut. With this EP, Long Goodbye prove they’re not only building on their foundation but actively expanding their sound. Coupled with their relentless touring schedule, it feels inevitable that these new tracks will be tearing up venues across the UK before long, and they’re more than ready to be heard.
8/10
to reconcile with death for the sake of a beautiful ending has been released independently as of today, September 4, with physicals produced via The Coming Strife.