(Self-release)
REVIEW by ZAK SLOMAN
Bristol alternative rock quintet RXPTRS have been tipped to make a big impact this year, and they get an opportunity to show why this is the case with ‘Bound’, their debut single.
Beginning with short, sharp guitar licks, the track then bursts into life with a sound that is brutal but melodic at the same time.
There definitely seems to be a Fall Out Boy/early Panic! At The Disco vibe here, with engaging riffs and basslines, along with a subtle theatrical element.
This is set further in stone by Simon Roach’s vocals, which, for the most part, is reminiscent of the emotive deliveries of Patrick Stump and Brendon Urie, however, at two key points of the song, one about halfway through, and another taking up approximately the last 30 seconds, it suddenly becomes harsher and more aggressive, venturing into Marilyn Manson territory.
This fits in well with the dark lyrical matter, covering a passionate relationship that soon turns violent. An uplifting love song, it is not.
Overall, ‘Bound’ is a solid first offering from RXPTRS, an effective advertisement for their immense creativity and outright refusal to stay within the boundaries of genre, and as 2018 draws on, I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more well-crafted output from these guys.
(3/5)
