Local punk trio Piranha recently followed up their debut full length, Style, with two brisk songs, “Suffer” and “Sow.” The two new tracks follow suit with the band’s grunge and emo influences, being riddled with distortion and gloomy vocals, but they move in a way that is less downtrodden than their previous release.
Overall, the songs are emotionally settled and thoughtfully composed. “Suffer” has a riff that rages like an undercurrent, and pulls you into a melody that meets up with steady drums and pensive vocals, “suddenly i do, feel all the things i put into you / suddenly i’ll do all that you want me to.” The track goes through a turbulent instrumental section, but ultimately ends with smooth, rolling riffs and a faintly repeated vocal delivery, “suffer.” The lyrics drive the emotional state of the song, while the instrumentation amps up those feelings with constant riffage and driving drums. That happens more on the ending of “Sow,” which is huge and distorted. The first half of the track is a straightforward, gleaming wall of hazy riffs, but its final minute turn into a deafening collision of fuzzy guitars, feedback, and heavy drum hits.
Piranha proved they are a band to watch with Style, and this follow-up shows that their emo and shoegaze sound is still evolving and growing. The two songs stand powerfully on their own, pulling you in with layers of gloomy fuzz and unflinching beats, and are a proper step forward from their last release. Catch Piranha live to fully experience their tunes, and be on the lookout as they enter the studio to record LP 2.
Stream/download “Suffer” and “Sow” on bandcamp. See Piranha on 1/22 at Ortlieb’s (info).
Photo via bandcamp
PhillyPunk 