Album Review: Chasing Safety – Nomad

Tyler H. January 3, 2017 358 Comments 238 views 0 likes

While there’s always pressure for artists upon their first release, there’s even more when it comes to the follow-up. In a way, it’s an effort to prove that the first album wasn’t a fluke and that the musician can once again create something mesmerizing, whether it’s similar or completely different in sound. New Jersey post hardcore outfit Chasing Safety faced a similar dilemma as their debut album, Season of the Dead was a beloved darling, garnering much praise and garnering anticipation for a follow-up. After a somewhat lengthy hiatus, the band is back from the dead gearing up to release their sophomore album Nomad via the newly formed Outerloop Group. The underlying question remains, did the hiatus affect the band too much or will they be able to shake off the rust and live up to the well received debut proving to fans and critics they didn’t succumb to the dreaded sophomore slump?

[tw-toggle title=”About Chasing Safety”]
Genre: Post Hardcore
Label: Outerloop Records
Release: January 6, 2017
Connect: Facebook | Twitter
Purchase: iTunes / Google / Amazon
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Fans of the band will find many familiar elements on Nomad that were found on Season of the Dead, giving a sense of familiarity while also mixing it up enough to keep the new album from feeling like a 2.0 record. Starting out swinging, Nomad opens with the lead single “Brand New Prison.” With riffs that are loud and provide a bite underlying bellowing screams and catchy choruses, the song makes for an excellent album opener while also providing a solid representation of what is to be expected throughout the eleven tracks that make up the album. This is further exacerbated by the talent and poise of Chasing Safety’s vocalists, singer Kenny Davis and screamer Johnny Galivan. Both of them play off of each other well as Kenny’s delivery lies on the higher spectrum helping elevate every track and adding power and emotion to every chorus. On the flipside Johnny does well to mix up his screams without it ever sounding stale and roping in the heavier side of their sound.

Chasing Safety – This is Hell (Official Music Video)

Download NOMAD: https://chasingsafety.lnk.to/Nomad Directed by Alex Kouvatsos at Blackwolf Imaging http://www.blackwolfimaging.com This is Hell It’s not my fault no But it’s how it has to be Fought through thick and thin But my skins not as tough as it was back then This is not the way I thought it

Another standout element of Nomad that fans of Chasing Safety should be no stranger to lies within the instrumentation. Along with the bands strong vocal showing, they also show that they’re no one trick pony. Nomad is littered with bouncy breakdowns, sweeping emotional leads and crunchy riffs, showcasing memorable guitar work and straying away from the typical breakdown formula that made the core genres of music infamous. This is wholeheartedly on display on “Under Fire” and “The Fall” as they both have some of the catchiest Chasing Safety riffwork to date.

Overall Chasing Safety have managed to avoid the sophomore slump and have released some of the best material of theirs to date. Whether you are a fan of crunchy breakdowns, soaring choruses, creative lyrics or complimenting vocal styles, then this release is the one for you and is a great way to kick off the new year.