Holy Roar Records has never been a label to rest on predictable laurels and we are forever proud that this is reflected in the bands that we continue to support. How is this statement relevant to ‘If There Is A God..’, the new EP by Up River? Quite simply because, bucking a wide-reach trend amongst post-hardcore bands to continually soften their sound, Up River have gone Much. Fucking. Heavier. …and thank fuck for that, because it sounds awesome. Whilst, initially, opener ‘Shallow’ lulls you into a false sense of security, before you know it the maelstrom has opened up and you aren’t allowed to come for air until this record ends, five tracks later. ‘Deaf Waltz’ pummels with its 100mph, old-school straight-up hardcore. ‘Ghost Particle’ has an assured, almost cocky swagger to its seething aggression. ‘Charnel House’ is so unhinged that it wouldn’t be wise to listen to it on public transport for fear of what you may enact upon your fellow passengers. Get the picture? Forget any preconceptions you may have regarding Up River. The sun has set on everything this band has done to date. Usher in a new darkness.
