Album Review: Havelocke – This Is Havelocke

Despite being newcomers, Havelocke sound like they’ve time-travelled from the punk and emo scene of the early 21st century. This EP is fuelled by dark-hearted melodies that recall the period before AFI let their synth-pop tendencies dominate, with occasionally metallic guitar lines providing a reminder that My Chemical Romance cited Iron Maiden as an influence.

There are only four songs here, but the Sheffield quartet make them all count, and the sense of familiarity when hearing them for the first time is as much down to sharp songwriting as the wearing of influences on sleeves. Shudder and Faceless are packed with dramatic hooks, the latter perfectly encapsulating Havelocke’s appeal. Cellar is both the shortest tune and the most ambitious, packing a host of different dynamics into three minutes, before Gone waves goodbye in emotion-stirring fashion. This Is Havelocke is quite the introduction to a rather promising band.

Verdict: KKKK