There are a million genre, sub genres, and sub sub genres in the world. Everyone likes to talk about them, and everyone likes to see bands fit into narrower and narrower categories. Trial Of Early Men are one of those bands that could probably be slotted into a wide array of sub genres, but let’s not muddy the water. This is a punk rock band making engaging music that throws its weight around.
Attachments, as a whole, is a record that is jagged, distorted, and loud. There is a lot of early emo and post-hardcore influence throughout the record, but it doesn’t really become a genre record in either of those ways specifically. There is edge, but there are also round corners. “Of Youth” is an example of the band mixing the more jagged sound with pop influence. “Nil Nil” falls the fuck apart towards the end in a really great way. It turns chaotic before pulling back together. It’s this split that makes Trials Of Early Man stand out.
They do the fuck out of the quiet/LOUD dynamic, both instrumentally and vocally. The music has muscle behind it. The vocals definitely highlight that by providing a great accent of their own. Gruff, but not in a boring beard-punk way. Aggressive and yelled, but not in a screamo way. It kind of makes me think of Guy Picciotto or Rick Froberg.
I have to admit, I am a bit out of my element here. Not because of the genre or sound, but because there is history behind this band. It isn’t a band of rookie kids who are just bashing things out. Trials Of Early Man is made up of members of Caretaker, Action and Action, CircusAct and The Good Wife. I have a huge blindspot when it comes to UK bands, and this is one of those times where it is super noticeable. I’m not really familiar with any of those bands. I’m an asshole from Chicago, I don’t know any better.
That is kind of a roundabout way of saying that this record lives or dies based on it’s own merit rather than past nostalgia. The good news is that is stands on it’s own feet. Definitely a record worth checking out for fans of punk rock, and the million offshoot post- genres it birthed.
Team Reasonable 