Car Underwater Turn Nostalgia Into Something Loud on Dagger Breaks Window
Lately, there has been a revival of 2000s emo/screamo music. It harkens back to the days of MySpace and the bands that were prominent members of that scene. Honoring that era is the group Car Underwater. Made up of members from acts such as Photographic Memory, Wisp, Jane Remover, Ghostmane, Ninajirachi, daine, and After, the group has put together a brand new EP titled Dagger Breaks Window that will transport you back to that era in the best way possible.
Right out the gate, the group shows they are all gas, no breaks. “7 Seconds, 0 Decibels” kicks in with little build-up, allowing the band to show their full colors early on. As mentioned earlier, if you are a fan of the early 2000s emo/screamo, you’ll be strapped in immediately. This song also does a great job of being an opening track. The energy behind the band and the mixing is nothing short of striking. The bridge has a buildup that is familiar yet new, and once it breaks down, it feels earned. Once again, the mixing of the vocals and backing vocals during this section heading into the song’s final stretch does a great job of strapping you in and making you want to hear the rest of the EP and what else the band has to offer.
As mentioned earlier, the band is all gas and no brakes on this EP, and the energy continues during the second track “Calling This Healing.” As soon as this song hits, the first thought that will cross your mind is “where is the nearest mosh pit I can enter.” The guitars and drums drive this song, with the vocals throughout pushing the emotion into the next gear. The chorus of the song, “'Cause I think I found your ghost there; Between all of the smoke and mirrors; The blood is on your hands,” is anthemic and sets up a perfect payoff in a pre-chorus to another chorus after. Later in the song, you get a breakdown and guitar solo ripped straight out of the 2000s metalcore scene. Just another example of the band not being afraid to wear their inspirations on their sleeves.
Going forward on the EP, you get an interesting extra ingredient in the song that is “Where Ashes Lay,” which is a bubbly, popping synth. At first it’s something that will catch you off guard, but it doesn’t stray too far away from what was previously heard on the EP. When it returns in the verse and towards the end of the song, it completes the song. It’s something that most wouldn’t think to add, but because the band did, you can’t imagine the song without that aspect. Vocals and screams from vocalists Max Epstein and Sonny Foster are huge standouts on this track as they perfectly complement their sections. Epstein’s “You said, I could lay here and wait forever," from the verse, flows into Foster’s “I can't, I can't, I can't,” seamlessly thanks to Foster being phased in at the end of the verse just before the chorus hits.
Dagger Breaks Window ends on one hell of a one-two punch with its two closing tracks. “An Exercise In Forgetting” transitions straight from “Where Ashes Lay” and doesn’t waste a second. The instrumentals on this song are some of the most impressive, especially from drummer Zach Capitti-Fenton. The groove of this song sets it apart from previous ones and somehow adds extra weight to the vocals. Thanks to the groove, you’re anticipating that second gear of the chorus, and when it hits, it’s satisfying. Huge fan of the songwriting and lyrical content of this song as well. “So rip me open; Ingest me with your blood; So I can turn into you,” is heard during the first pre-chorus and is another great addition to this EP’s love letter to bands that inspired Car Underwater.
The closing track “Heaven In Hindsight” is the perfect closer for this EP. It maintains the energy set beforehand by the group and helps leave everything on the table. Huge fan of the chorus on this track. “Smoke inside my lungs; Hope I don't wake up; The IV's not plugged in; The medicine won't reach my blood,” are hooks that are not only catchy but are very confidently written. As a closer, you couldn’t ask for better songwriting and performances. It wraps up everything the band laid out on tracks before and overall creates a fulfilling ending to the EP.
Overall, Dagger Breaks Window is a solid release. It is a great addition to its contemporaries in the 2000s emo/screamo revival that is currently going on right now. Impressive songwriting throughout helps create a solid EP that pays great tribute to plenty of the bands that came before them while also crafting a great introduction as a group.
