Naedr : The Prodigal Son
The first time I saw Naedr live was pretty a visceral affair. Supporting Sans Visage, the quintet were playing their debut show on an evening at Lithe House – and as they exploded in volume, I quite literally felt my skull shake. It might have been the post-rock contrast, or it might have been vocalist Timothy Wong’s (also from emoviolence outfit Bethari) piercing screams, but it was clear from their very first show that they were one of the most promising screamo acts on the island right now. But with their credentials, why shouldn't they be? After all, they share their members with veterans and great new bands alike (Bethari, susurrus, Paris In The Making, multi-genre madman Bennett Bay) - altogether, they synthesize into a bombastic whole that more than compares with their KittyWu Records brethren.
Emerging last year with their debut single the Waltz of Fate, they set the tone with a powerful emoviolence-tinged formula, boasting frantic energy and searing blast beats – on The Prodigal Son, they deliver the same earth-rattling energy in half the duration, with a physicality that it’s predecessor somewhat lacked with its hollow mix. Here, its 74 seconds deliver a fierce salvo of self-reflection and futility, with a mix boasting an aggressive fuzz-filled signature that gives the track a much needed tone of abrasion.
This glues together the quintet into a punishing whole. A muscular bass tone sets an earth-shaking foundation for the track, upon which the band builds and builds with its razor-sharp guitars and drums pounding with relentless fury. Impassioned screams howl over the suffocating riffs, and the track feels like a constant attack, and with the lyrics carrying a further literary quality, the single intensifies its already powerful emotional potency - bringing a majestic sweep reminiscent of cathartic European screamo outfits the likes of Raein and La Quiete. The Prodigal Son is a swift burst of intensity that showcases Naedr as a band ready and firing on all cylinders - and as a band named after the lowest point, its 74 seconds only show that the only way to go is up. After all, there's probably no better time to be louder.