THE REVIEWS: SCARLET WOUNDS “WAKE UP” EP

Scarlet Wounds is a Christian pop-core band from Missouri and their new EP is out now. You can check it out for yourself on the bands facebook.

This record was not an enjoyable one from my perspective. I would call myself a pop music and pop rock fan, but this just had to many elements for me to overcome. I’m not a fan of effects and often suspect that bands are trying to cover things.

My constructive criticism would be to compare them to Never Shout Never, an outfit which started with some very juvenile subject matter and a very young sound. That acts latest release, Indigo, is a drastic improvement from the band’s previous internet-pop sound. Perhaps with some line up tweaks this act can find and achieve that growth. In some occasions, Christian bands cant get past that simple stigma. The fact that they are a religious band. I myself was raised in a religious home, but I know this can be a red flag for some. You should write about what you know, but anytime you allow yourself to be limited by any influence, no matter how positive it may be, you can’t escape the fact that it is somewhat limiting.

Every song spoke of faith, so no songs really had much separation from one and other. I believe that can turn a listener away. The band has been together since 2010, and although I am not sure how long this current roster has been a unit, t

he tracks seemed as though the band weren’t quite sure who they were yet. They seemed to be exploring their sound still. The EP is five songs in total. It opens with a very strong pop rock sound and closes with a light post hardcore track fittingly titled, “Salvation,” staying with the bands Christian roots.

The second track on this EP, “This Ends,” has much more of a rock sound with some deeper vocals, but its still shielded by the protective synth. I don’t think bands should over use effects like reverb or synths. It can be a fun effect to use on a single but it shouldn’t be “your sound.”

2/5

This review was written by Michael Flanagan