Oregon Trail - H/aven album review

In today’s clickbait, tl;dr culture, it’s vital to make an impact instantly. Whether that’s through intensity or originality, music fans are forever in search of something they’ve never heard before, which isn’t an easy task – as Oregon Trail can attest. The Swiss four-piece have created a dark and gloomy mood-board, harnessing the bleakness and isolation of the snowcapped mountains, but it’s hindered by a lack of experimentation. H/aven might have a bounce, but it’s retreading old ground, bringing nothing remarkable to post-hardcore’s already overstocked table. But the biggest downfall is its production. The aggro vocals dominate while the music is muffled. At times you can hear a band on the verge of breaking free, but OT revert back to the safety of familiarity, failing to resonate beyond a surface-level reaction.