From under the counter: Sonder - Yours to Take

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: SONDER
Another EP to take a listen to - Sonder's Yours To Take gets this reviewer's seal of approval.

London’s hardcore scene is surprisingly not as large as you would think but that doesn’t mean it lacks in its musical output. I’m fortunate enough to have been exposed to it on multiple fronts, including its faction of bands that have stemmed from its very active metalcore scene.

Over my relatively short period of time living here, I’ve seen some of these bands grow and develop their own sound that distances themselves from the negative connotations of metalcore in favour of something that lacks clear definition.

It’s hard to discuss this kind of music without using technical terms to describe different genres but I believe it is very important given the current state of hardcore and heavy metal today.

To fill you in briefly, metalcore are both of these genres super imposed on each other, taking the intricacies of metal and mixing them with the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk. Metalcore developed in the ‘90s with bands like Converge, Hatebreed, Earth Crisis, Judge, who have since become huge icons that redefined both genres in the ensuing years.

Since these groundbreaking bands began, the genre has become extremely broad in definition and inclusion with Atreyu, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, etc. that all have had massive commercial success with their introduction of melody and occasional clean singing.

Metalcore has since become defined by its emphasis on breakdowns and though it has dipped slightly in popularity, it is still enjoyed thoroughly by its fanbase.

So with this in mind, we can listen to Sonder and consider it to be a metalcore release though the band has very much distanced itself from that label since it last released music over a year ago.

Sonder dives into the subconscious, climaxing in the epic “Madness/ Gravity,” which features King Pin frontman Bob Calwell before unleashing one final breakdown at the end of “The Comedown.”

Sonder pushes through slowly, relaxing on faster tempos and focusing on heavy hits and grooves throughout most of the EP.

The production quality of the EP itself is also fantastic, being recorded at extremely comfortable looking “Sugar Shack” with Simon Larochette who has been the engineer for many recent releases in London.

A band that comes to mind quickly when listening to this EP is certainly The Chariot, which, with slightly more noise, achieves similar effects on the listener and it’s no doubt that Yours To Take is probably influenced by this band.

So whatever your niche is in the mountains of metal/hardcore bands that exist out there, I surely believe that Yours To Take’s EP is an enjoyable one and I am personally excited to see what comes next. You can listen and download for free at their bandcamp page (yourstotake.bandcamp.com).