The mask-wearing Buffalo duo are back with a double-edged sound that swings between aggression and ethereal softness.
Taking the place of previous Bear Chris Hutka is Haley Roback – the first female lead vocalist in the duo’s long line of members. Kicking off with the 24-second-long Vows, Matthew Tybor, aka The Bunny’s, scream of ‘I wanna die!’ is an abrasive if tuneless opening that gives way to Love, Trust And Compromise – an echoing wall of sound that gives Haley a chance to show off some serious lung power.
Crashing drums, layered harmonies and strings under guitar lines are reminiscent of later Deftones material, and there’s an impressive amount of noise for a duo. It’s Not Always Cold In Buffalo, a reworking of the 2013 track, is undoubtedly the standout. It’s given a prog makeover with Roback’s powerful wail, and shows the duo at their full, bombastic potential.
