As December Falls have independently released their fourth album Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine. We were lucky enough to catch the band on their recent tour supporting RØRY where we got to witness some of the tracks live, including our standout Therapy which had a great reaction from the Glasgow crowd. Vocalist Bethany Hunter has such a great personality on stage and this filters through to the new music too.
Intro track Burn It All Down may be just over one minute long, but it’s very atmospheric opener as Hunter’s vocals give us a taste of what’s to come. Next up is album title track Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine, one of our favourite tracks which mixes electronica with superb vocals. Ready Set Go doesn’t offer much until we near the end of the track, where there is an explosion of guitars. It’s difficult to pigeonhole As December Falls – sometimes there are elements of metalcore or pop-punk, which this track leaning towards the metal side of things.
Therapy grabs you straight away with some explosive lyrics to help it along, as Hunter sings “I’m venting words filled with rage, spilling poison on the page/when I should be focusing, and once it’s out, it feels like therapy.” Ande Hunter‘s guitar is a standout on this song, while For The Plot already seems like an anthem that will go down well at the band’s upcoming live shows.
Rewrite is a short but sweet, piano-led ballad which still hammers home the required message – an extended live version would be great to hear in November, Bathroom Floor is another standout from the LP, the mix of keyboards and guitar works sweetly alongside Hunter’s fiery vocals “I should have known better, I should have known more/Coz your not what I am looking for.” We think the mosh pits will be opening up for this one for sure!
Lyrically, Angry Cry is another excellent track that grabs you pretty quickly, while I’m No Good Alone has a very catchy chorus. What is more striking is the maturity of the vocals – Hunter has perfected the art of self-expression it seems, certainly in comparison to the band’s three previous albums. Grim Reaper will have you tapping along, especially during some of the guitar riffs, and as we move towards the end of the album I Can’t Relate and Sometimes I Hurt My Own Feelings are well worth a listen. The record ends with an acoustic ballad in This Isn’t Us. The vocals remind us so much of Against The Current vocalist Chrissy Costanza, which we think is a great comparison to be made.
As December Falls have been busy promoting the album with a series of launch shows – we look forward to catching them on their UK headline tour later this year!
9/10
Standout Tracks: Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine, Therapy, Bathroom Floor, Angry Cry
For Fans Of: RØRY, Against The Current, South Arcade
Written by: Alan Brown
