The Brave
Epoch

I'm starting to really believe that Australia might not be quite the earthly paradise that all of us ordinary mortals imagine. If we take a closer look, lately only bands of troubled musicians have come from this land: some with suicidal tendencies (The Amity Affliction), some a bit depressed (Storm The Sky), some at odds with local institutions (The Rumjacks)... In short, a big mess, right?! And now The Brave are stepping in, with a debut album released by the increasingly involved (in terms of releases) UNFD Records (also Australian, okay). What's strange about that?! Well, in their case too, happiness doesn't seem to be at home, or rather they've never heard of "Posi-Hardcore." Between a song dedicated to a deceased cousin and another dealing with the theme of insomnia ("Dreamless," featuring Marcus Bridge of Northlane... Guess where they're from...), they too focus on the mental disturbances of frontman Nathan Toussaint, perhaps a bit less "in your face" than one might expect in the lyrics but nonetheless endowed with an excellent voice both melodically and in screamo. Their style is an alternative metal that flirts with its trendier side, of which bands like The Word Alive and Miss May I are absolute masters. "Epoch" is the classic album that, if you love the genre, you listen to more than willingly, played and produced masterfully but perhaps a tad too similar to many current productions. While awaiting better times (for them, of course), it's up to you whether or not to give The Brave a chance!