ALBUM REVIEW: harm. – a song you can’t feel anymore.

harm. pluck the listener from their seat and launch them into a world of simultaneous ferocity and beauty

LP2 has been a bit of a battle for North Carolina based sextet, harm..

Following on from their 2019 debut, ‘What We Know Is A Drop, What We Don’t Know Is An Ocean’, the band have faced being a DIY music outfit in a world of pandemics and change head on, and have spent two years writing, rewriting, and remoulding what their sophomore album would be, even going as far as to say that there were times they didn’t think this album would release.

But all of that effort was worth it, to understate matters. ‘a song you can’t feel anymore.’ is one of the most exciting heavy albums in recent memory, with a creativity and humanity that makes it a feast for the senses from start to finish. There are elements of post-hardcore, metalcore, shoegaze and more weaved together to create punishing yet captivating soundscapes that effortlessly compliment one another.

‘when I say it out loud, it all falls apart’ acts as a gorgeous ethereal introductory statement that culminates in a rapturous heavy climax segment, before exploding out furiously into ‘You’re obviously in the wrong place’. Huge melodic hardcore vibes on this absolutely thunderous beast of a track. The contrast between the two lead vocals is absolutely phenomenal throughout, creating a deeply compelling performance, and the breakdown at the back end of the track is simply incendiary.

‘let’s take back what’s dear to you’ packs huge, anthemic choruses that collide with a genuinely phenomenal breakdown segment to produce a track that hits you like a truck in all of the best ways. It’s almost overwhelming in how raw and frenetic the track is, hitting you over the head with heavy goodness over and over again, but the performances are so compelling to behold that it’s impossible to not want to go back for more. And things arguably improve even further on ‘People Just Want To Be Seen. Doesn’t Matter What For.’. 00’s emo collides with metalcore on this soaring track; the opening guitar riff and the percussion here are some of the standout instrumental moments across the whole album. The track culminates in a genuinely gorgeous dual vocal segment that rises and rises until it crashes back to earth with furious walls of guitar and percussion that encircle the listener like wildfire.

‘I Fear Only That My Rage Will Fade Over Time’ is a gorgeous little shoegaze-esque cut, with simple droning guitar riffs and drawn out yet spellbinding vocals. Even the heavier section of this track feels less explosive and more simply crushing, ensuring that the whole track maintains a tender brutality. ‘But then there’s a pause…’ packs the best breakdown on the whole album, and that is insanely high praise given the quality of the music here; harm.’s ability to create breakdowns that not only sound like they would create the best pits you’ve ever been in, but also that represent a bitter aggression that undercuts the entire record, is simply second to none. ‘The world is merciless, and it’s also very beautiful’ wraps up the album perfectly, bringing together those themes of cruelty and resilience in a gorgeously balanced and cathartic closing statement.

‘a song you can’t feel anymore.’ not only captivates your attention, but demands it. There are layers and layers to this album, facets of music that will only reveal themselves to you upon repeat listens, and importantly, this album makes you want to go back and explore it even after the very first listen. harm. pluck the listener from their seat and launch them into a world of simultaneous ferocity and beauty, and manage to make every song just as impactful as the last in a hurricane of riffs, breakdowns and melodies.

‘a song you can’t feel anymore.’ goes down as a must-listen of 2023. It’s what happens when a band has a vision and a determination that they refuse to let be shaken. It’s what happens when a band has an acute understanding of the beauty in brutality, of how the soft isn’t necessarily the painless. Every second of effort that harm. have poured into this album resonates in every single second of this album.

‘a song you can’t feel anymore.’ is rewarding, captivating, and simply fantastic.

RATING: 90/100 – Excellent

FOR FANS OF: Loathe, Spiritbox, The Callous Daoboys, Moodring

Follow the band at the links below:

Twitter // Instagram // Bandcamp // Spotify