Solar Bear - Captains of Industry EP

Solar Bear
Captains Of Industry EP
Self-released
B+





Colorado has always been a place that has lent its share of post-hardcore pathmakers to the underground music scene. Whether it was the bombastic sounds of Fear Before or Planes Mistaken For Stars, the Mile High City and its surrounding areas have been like a diamond in the rough for heavy, yet challenging musical projects. Hence, I am not surprised at all by the locale of Solar Bear, a band whose crunching guitars and ripping vocals are reminiscent of Fear Before in their younger days. Yet, they don’t completely live in the shadow of their predecessors, as Solar Bear pays fine tribute to their heritage by tying together thoughtful, yet accessible post-hardcore with flourishes of oftentimes otherworldly melodies.

What makes this EP impressive is Solar Bear’s capability to seamlessly evolve as their arrangements progress without needing to make it feel like it was forcefully pieced together. “Endless Choir” harkens a weaving attack backed by barking vocals and forward-thinking drums, all while swinging the tempo and timbre up and down throughout the song’s five-minute plus running time. This sounds like a challenge, but in reality, Solar Bear do these songwriting acrobatics without causing too much of a stir to the proceedings. Likewise, “Mr. Iconoclastic vs. The Captains Of Industry” flips a funky intro into a fret-noodling adventure that makes for a perfect backdrop to the buzzing vocals. The weird thing is that in many cases you’ll find yourself humming or singing along to a track anchored in scratchy vocals and quirky melodies – something you might have otherwise thought wasn’t possible.

However, not everything on this EP is built on shredding guitars and blasting drums. Closer “Good For Nothing Misfit Mothers” opens as a slow-motion journey in 3/4, hinging on a funky drum beat and minimal guitar melodies to start out. As it moves on, the track explodes into a wall of sound without losing out on the buildup of drums laced with moving guitar work. Solar Bear eventually leads itself back to the chunky post-hardcore they build their sound upon, but it is these brief tangents that make the usual passages of musical uncertainty even more rewarding.

Solar Bear is a band you’ll want to keep your ear (and eyes) on in the future. And given the immense amount of promise built from this EP, you’ll be sure to be seeing them soon if you aren’t.