More Than Most: Impossible Is Temporary

Artist: More Than Most
Title: Impossible Is Temporary
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Released: 5th February 2016
Reviewed By: Ben Chapman

With their speedy debut Impossible Is Temporary, More Than Most deliver some sensitive electronic pop-punk with an at times darkly industrial feel mixed into their emotional focus. The band waste no time in examining the gloom through their energetic manner. They rush into tales of woe as competent snotty vocals are wiped on their heart-worn sleeves authentically, and not a small amount divisively.

You're Not Alone takes a storytelling tone early on; the themes of desperation are shoved straight down our throats as singer Izzy Stylez does the opposite, his lyrics mixing blatant rhymes with more unexpected words delivered in a punchy style that is damn catchy. If the listener isn't thrown off by the arguably uneasy attempt to blend, or downright flout, genre, then they'll enjoy the band's bold methods and technical skill. The synth-tinkered melodies in the intro and verse don't always work smoothly; but when that chorus kicks in, with harmonies that last throughout the lines and an understated guitar wailing in unison. There's a decent build up leading into a cacophony of woahing during a typically layered but undeniably heart-warming final chorus. Like a less upbeat or engaging Bleach Blood, sometimes more like nu-metal era Incubus at their scratchier, unfortunately this song flips like a coin from disappointing verse to empowering, relieving chorus.

Remember Who You Are is a well-paced exercise in making good use of the band's pop-punk influences to hook along their audience. A strongly belted pop-heavy vocal informs listeners to "Distract yourself from this hell". It's not the most enjoyable stuff, but the rapidly flowing vocal delivery between sections and yet another well-mapped chorus might just carry your ears through it.

Save Me From Myself is a low point. Not much more different than the other tracks, and I couldn't help be distracted by the vocal line's crossover, reminding me of Scooters' super trampling of The Logical Song near the intro. The dance feel is overridden by screechy guitar distortion with an impressively speedy strum pattern, before the tracks falls right down and picks up from the intro again. The track improves towards the end slightly as the trick of reverting to sparseness is swapped for tiers of guitar smothering teasing amounts of heaviness in not-quite redemptive amounts.

Nightmare shows off some Placebo-tinged vocal tones for some convincing incarnation of More Than Most's alt-rock. A dramatic two beat rhythm stabs through the chugging groove of the pre-chorus. A stronger but not amazing end to the EP, the blend of various influences seems better-adjusted in this final offering.

It's not something that you get to do every day, so I'll end with a quote from Muhammad Ali (a person probably quite good at getting the last say):

"Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary"

The only facts we have here is that More Than Most are dropping their debut EP on 6th February 2016. The opinion will be a mixed one from many a listener, it's safe to declare. But that's not to say that the band's daring approach to genre is without potential.

Whilst in parts stretching into effective territory, overall the feel is almost as contrived as the closing paragraphs above...