“Got a clockwork heart going overtime and a broken head that fell apart.“
Up-and-coming post-hardcore act The Throwaway Scene is poised to take the scene by storm with the release of their debut EP, On Death & Dying. Having witnessed this band play their debut show supporting Static Dress during their ‘I Hope You Hate This‘ UK tour in 2022, they solidified themselves as one of the most promising upcoming acts in the scene. This debut EP only goes to show that this belief was valid and that they are capable of incredible things.
Sounding like the love child of Three Cheers era My Chemical Romance and Placebo, and with a sound profile very similar to New Jersey-based Save Face, The Throwaway Scene has crafted an EP that truly showcases their versatility and consists of all the things that make the genre great while putting a refreshing spin on it.
Those looking for riff-heavy, fast-paced bops with sing-along moments, “Fake Death“, “Bury Me“, and “Sometimes” will suit well. A pop-punky number comes in the form of “Who Else Is In The Room“, combined with an ambient track blending pianos and strings “Rumor” delivers on that front too. There’s a bit of everything here, and it’s all put together incredibly well, with each track having a unique feel that keeps the EP fresh throughout. The structure and pacing of the release ensure that each idea is given its own spotlight throughout the runtime and that the listener is given space to breathe and take it in.
The band proudly wears their influences on their sleeve with “Fake Death“, “Bury Me“, and “Sometimes“, which all fall into a similar grouping stylistically. Particularly reminiscent of Three Cheers era MCR, these tracks are fast-paced emo-leaning bangers bound to appeal to a wide audience; emo’s and indie-kids alike. “Fake Death” and “Bury Me” are both outstanding and feel reminiscent of the brilliant New Jersey-based Save Face. There’s a flow to these tracks that keeps the energy consistently high, allowing the listener brief moments of reprieve before getting right back to it. Meanwhile, “Sometimes” shows off the band’s versatility within the span of a single track, flowing between your typical post-hardcore riffage, extremely catchy clean choruses, a breakdown, and a lovely chantable outro reminiscent of “Clean” by Static Dress that is almost definitely going to be a crowd favourite in a live setting. Many influences are clear across these tracks, but The Throwaway Scene manages to put their own twist on these, and it truly culminates in something grandiose.
I’d also like to highlight the beauty of the closer, “Rumor“, which stands out entirely separate from the rest of the EP. This track isn’t post-hardcore in any way, with the band deciding to go in the direction of an ambient track layered with beautiful falsetto vocals, pianos, and strings. As the closer, this track works incredibly well and is just outright beautiful. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a shock on the first listen that this sort of track was included, but it closes out the release incredibly well, and I’ve actually grown to appreciate its inclusion on the EP.
As if all of this wasn’t already good enough, there’s also a narrative woven throughout the EP. If the leading singles hadn’t already given this away, the lyrical content of the new tracks continues on the plotline already being told. Concepts of love, death, sacrifice, and grief are prominent not only in the lyricism but are also conveyed through vocal delivery and instrumentation as well. These stylistic choices, specifically the vocal delivery choices, allow for additional emotional impact to be intrinsically linked to the lyrics being sung, increasing their impact immensely.
There’s also a clear artistic direction for the band, not only sonically but visually too. This is something we are seeing become more and more common with smaller bands which we did not see in the past. This artistic styling helps to make the work feel a lot more cohesive as an item and really helps with pushing that the narrative being told, as opposed to each track being its own standalone piece of art.
Listening to this EP and then going back to their previous releases, the band’s progression as songwriters is evident. Until now, they have consistently been good, but now have taken the time to hone their craft and focus on all the things that make their music special. This attention to detail and focus on improvement pay off massively, and the release flows incredibly well. If this EP is just a taster of what’s to come, then one thing is for certain – The Throwaway Scene is going to be huge.
8/10
On Death & Dying is out January 26th via self-release, and can be pre-ordered here.