Despite having formed little over a year ago, Portsmouth 5 piece Housefires have been causing quite the stir. With reviews from Kerrang, interviews in Planet Loud, and with the backing of Marianne Harris they have been able to propel themselves outside of being just another local band. Debut EP ‘Before the Celling Caves’ shows just why they are getting such a reputation. So what makes this band stand out from the rest? Well, it could be the kind of back and forth vocals that would give Alexisonfire fans a reason to reminisce, as heard on Track Two ‘If You Can’t Join Them, Beat Them’, or the fast paced, Underoath/Maylene and the Sons of Disaster-esque riffs of Track Three ‘Wilmcote’. Whatever it is, it’s there, and it shows just why so many people have been checking them out on the gigging circuit in recent months. Blood and sweat are two of the things that will be lining the walls of any Housefires show, mostly from the band members, which just goes to show how much effort goes into everything they do, this cd is no different.
Listening to this EP makes one thing clear, Housefires are drawing on a wide range of influences to come up with a sound that, while not entirely unique, certainly shows why they are causing everyone to stop and listen, something that is seemingly harder to find these days, with so many bands all producing the same sound in a bid to follow the pack.
While to some ears ‘Before the Celling Caves’ may sounds like a chaotic mash of sounds, each trying to be noticed above the others, it is in fact a well-produced package of hardcore and rock, without leaning too far to one side, which in the 6 tracks on offer is some achievement, avoiding sounding too similar in any two tracks to avoid falling into any one genre ahead of another, even throwing a curveball in the form of Track Five ‘Do Not Open Before Christmas’, which seems to be the slower track before eventually exploding into a violent wall of noise in a way unheard on the rest of the EP, before settling into a sound that would have Funeral for a Friend fans double taking.
For all the thought and effort that went into writing this review however, I’m now going to slightly undermine that by summing ‘Before the Celling Caves’ up in one sentence. Buy this EP, buy it now and play it as loud as possible, because before long you WILL be hearing about this band. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Recommended Tracks: Wilmcote, All Non-Conformists Drink Coffee.
Sounds like: Alexisonfire, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Underoath, Norma Jean.
Check them out over on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/housefires
