There is a considerable amount of energy being exalted on the new Turnstile album. Nonstop Feeling is a visceral wake up call to the brain, blasting adrenaline-filled riffs with a lighthearted approach. The colorful approach to the sound on this album helps each punk-filled breakdown come across with more importance… hell, I’ll just come out and say it: When Turnstile does slow down and pulse forward with a breakdown, it’s damn filthy. The grooviest hardcore band is back with 12 songs that rival the scene with their unbreakable ball of energy.
“Gravity” kicks off the album with jovial guitar riffs, and when compared to a band like Expire, who have a very similar style, the song sounds less edgy but packs a bigger punch. It has to do with the funk-inspired grooves that kindle the fire of each song until the destructive breakdown. Brendan’s vocal delivery is also something to highlight for the entire album. His voice sounds raw and without any added effects, giving each line his all and hearing his voice break and bend into screams with his familiar higher toned yells. Unlike a majority of other pure hardcore bands, he is not the main focus of each song. A few tracks are more strictly instrumental with less vocals, like “Drop” or “Bleach Temple.” Turnstile here is showing that even with high-amped energy, melody can still be prominent.
But it’s not even that this band doesn’t get aggressive. “Addicted” is one constant beat down of frantic-paced grooves with hellish sounding vocals reminiscent of the older punk bands form the ’70s and ’80s. To top it all off, the lyrics even break through with some simple morals for life. “Bad Wave” is the perfect example with the line, “Got to learn to find love in what I got.” It’s this amount of introspection that allows this band to have uplifting tunes with breakneck progressions.
The only thing that might set this album back in certain people’s (the bros of “Hardcore”) will be the the production. At times it is extremely clean sounding, like on “Blue By You,” which plays out like a garage rock anthem. Other bands had more a of a raw tone with the muddy productions, but honestly I enjoy this new clean approach. Everything sounds serene and with careful precision.
Pre-order Nonstop Feeling here.
