Album Review: Belmont – Aftermath (Pure Noise Records)

Progressive-punk quartet, Belmont’s new album Aftermath is out the 4th March 2022 via Pure Noise Records. It is also the band’s Pure Noise Records debut album.

Not quite pop punk but certainly leaning towards that sound, Belmont combine modern-day angst with progressive bouts of heaviness, poppy melodies and powerful post-bounce. A passionate showcase of wide-ranging music begins with the charming Fully Sent before Belmont unleash a more aggressive post-punk display on Parasitic. The deck scratching in the latter is a tad unnecessary but is short enough to not annoy.

A fun and exciting blast of temperamental energy comes with Bowser’s Castle. Pain Now is a great example of the modern edge that Belmont portrays as it has rap vocals smattered throughout and In My Skin blazes with a virulency that is ever present throughout. The melodic drop in the latter is one of the strongest points so far. A poignant moment that shifts things nicely before building back up for an energetic finish.

An overtly melodramatic and very poppy track in the form of Country Girl disrupts things momentarily. Before Top Gun (From the Top) brings things back up with a sharp blast of progressive instrumentation and varied pacing that gets quite wild. Followed then by heartfelt melodies and the catchy electronic beat of 4am // Disappear. Three diverse tracks that will have varied responses from listeners.

That range continues into Never Found, Guilt Trip and What I Lack. The latter part of the album features some of the album’s most powerful and impactful tracks. Ones that have meaningful lyrical content (although that is a given when you consider the whole album), important bouts of energetic noise, layered melody and tone shifts that upset any potential malaise that might sink in over the length of the record.

It’s unlikely to actually sink in through as Belmont keep you on your toes throughout. A little more refinement would make this an infinitely more listenable record though. For all their ideas, there are a few that just fail to land, and those tracks tend to be the most forgettable. Thankfully, Aftermath ends on such a thrilling high with Advanced Darkness. That unmistakable passion is ever-present and it results in a heartfelt and powerful closer.

Belmont – Aftermath Full Track Listing:

1. Fully Sent
2. Parasitic
3. Bowser’s Castle
4. Pain Now
5. In My Skin
6. Country Girl
7. Top Gun (From the Top)
8. 4am // Disappear
9. Never Found
10. Guilt Trip
11. What I Lack
12. Advanced Darkness

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