Campus
Post-Hardcore outfit CAMPUS is a brutal, slam down outfit hailing from the regions of Belgium, and deliver exactly what you’d expect, and more. The band, having racked up slots at Hit The Deck Festival and Hevy Festival as well as touring with GALLOWS, CANCER BATS, PARKWAY DRIVE and ALEXISONFIRE, have hit the scene and made such an impact that it will be hard to ignore these boys before long. And after one listen to their EP ‘Empathy’ it is easy to see why.
The track ‘Empathy’ to see the opening of the EP, and had only one word coming to mind: “Riffs”. The change from a heavy driving riff, to a melodic chorus is complemented superbly by Martijn’s coarse, energetic vocals (which reminded me a lot of John Corabi’s harsh, driving vocals - a very good thing). The next track, ‘Lone Wolf’, comes crashing in with the same feel and vibe of the previous track of just pure anger and pumped up energy. This track gripped my attention and I caught myself replaying it as soon as I heard it, utilising the intricate drumming and connection to the guitars perfectly. Again, the vocals of Martijn Leenaert captivated my listening of this EP. The range and capability can be heard in the more melodic track ‘Down Time’. Much like they displayed in ‘Empathy’, the band’s capability of running a heavy, almost sludgy, driving riff cohesively into a melodic, euphoric chorus which excels most other bands’ imagination and ability to capture the feel for a song. The ending of the track ‘Young Bastard’ captures this perfectly, finishing with my certainty this band could perform with the same vigour and angst live as they do recorded.
CAMPUS are the sort of band I’d love to see with Feed the Rhino and Polar, but also a band I believe could stand toe-to-toe with them. The energy, musical capability and raspy, energetic vocals made this EP a standout listen to for me and I will be ensuring I catch these guys at Hevy Festival in August.
To find out more about Campus, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Noel Horton
The track ‘Empathy’ to see the opening of the EP, and had only one word coming to mind: “Riffs”. The change from a heavy driving riff, to a melodic chorus is complemented superbly by Martijn’s coarse, energetic vocals (which reminded me a lot of John Corabi’s harsh, driving vocals - a very good thing). The next track, ‘Lone Wolf’, comes crashing in with the same feel and vibe of the previous track of just pure anger and pumped up energy. This track gripped my attention and I caught myself replaying it as soon as I heard it, utilising the intricate drumming and connection to the guitars perfectly. Again, the vocals of Martijn Leenaert captivated my listening of this EP. The range and capability can be heard in the more melodic track ‘Down Time’. Much like they displayed in ‘Empathy’, the band’s capability of running a heavy, almost sludgy, driving riff cohesively into a melodic, euphoric chorus which excels most other bands’ imagination and ability to capture the feel for a song. The ending of the track ‘Young Bastard’ captures this perfectly, finishing with my certainty this band could perform with the same vigour and angst live as they do recorded.
CAMPUS are the sort of band I’d love to see with Feed the Rhino and Polar, but also a band I believe could stand toe-to-toe with them. The energy, musical capability and raspy, energetic vocals made this EP a standout listen to for me and I will be ensuring I catch these guys at Hevy Festival in August.
To find out more about Campus, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Noel Horton