Last year One Step Closer wowed with their EP Songs For The Willow. While only three songs, it captured a great sound that left listeners excited and wanting more. Now it is 2024 and they more than delivered with their latest LP All You Embrace.
All You Embrace was released today, May 17, after four songs being released in anticipation of the record. The album is an eleven track album. It is the third release from the band under the Run For Cover record label, the album being the second LP from the group under the label.
This record to start off feels like a huge step for the band. It’s hard to pinpoint what that may be as they are working with a similar team they had before with releases like Songs For The Willow. Where the effort can be pointed is that the band is becoming a new while building on the old. With this record building off the melodic hardcore sound the band is known for with tracks like “Slow to Let Go” and “Blur My Memory,” while they tap into past hinted at sounds through tracks like “Giant’s Despair” and “The Gate.” The band doesn’t hold a single punch throughout this entire record, baring all for their fans and new listeners to witness as the band reaches a new point in their life.
The emotional hits this album takes on the passage of time and the relationships and solitude built with it, are present from the get go. “Where the time has gone; And blues have shown; A life so full of roaming; Every country side; Empty space has shown; Why all of this is broken” are the words vocalist Ryan Savitski belts out as the track “Color You” breaks into heavy drums and in your face guitars and bass. “Color You” being the opening track was a great choice as it is the perfect reintroduction to the band that keeps going during “Leap Years.”
“Leap Years” and the track after “Blur My Memory” continue the melodic hardcore push in this album. “Leap Years” is a huge highlight musically which includes an amazingly commanding bass line that builds the perfect foundation for the entire track. With accompanying drums that are just as powerful, the song hits like a ton of bricks in the best way. Those bricks do stick around during “Blur My Memory” as the production all around adds layers and layers that make the song full of weight all throughout. The insanely well pulled off breakdown to the unexpectedly welcoming piano at the end is full of so many layers that you are bound to find a new one upon each listening.
On top of that the lyrical content within the music starts to tackle broken relationships, friendships and struggling with life and the meaning of it towards yourself. “Leap Years” tackles the concept of losing a connection with someone you care for in a frustratingly caring way. The aggression is in full front throughout the entire track. “Did you go and make a lie to see me broken; To leave so full of promises you left me nothing” are lines that ooze frustration in something ending whether it be a friendship, relationship, or connection to a family member. Something that many people can relate to as they hear the lyrics. “Blur My Memory” almost acts as the effect to “Leap Years” cause. The lyrics now delve into a harsh picture of trying to find meaning behind your life while reflecting on the good reasons to move forward someone has given you. Having these tracks back to back feels like a perfect part one and part two musically and thematically while helping to continue to paint the larger picture of the entire record.
Going forward musically throughout All You Embrace the band starts to mold their melodic hardcore sound with an emo layer with “The Gate.” Sonically this song is significantly lighter compared to the past three with the screaming vocals taking a step back for clearer vocal tones. The lack of screaming vocals on this track plays to its advantage as when it does dip its toes into screaming vocals it adds emphasis where it is added. This is continued in “Your Hazel Tree,” but whereas “The Gate” has the screaming vocals in the back, “Your Hazel Tree” brings them out to the forefront again in the best ways possible. My personal favorite is when the song gets into the breakdown of the song that also features one of the best drum parts on the entire record. Next to those drum parts are the screams of Savitski blaring out “Why did you bring this back up; You’ve gone too far” as the guitars and bass strike hard as the breakdown climaxes before the final chorus.
One of my favorite points on this record comes just a little bit later with the track “Esruc,” which is curse spelled backwards. It plays directly into the themes of this track that plays loosely with the idea that sometimes life just comes across as a curse that haunts you. As it goes on and on it just gets to you more and more until you just can’t take it anymore. “To crush my eyes; When you cared the least; I’m certain, that you live within these hallow walls; To curse my mind; When you cared the least; I’m hurting, when you left again; I felt it all” perfectly portray that feeling you get when you think back on life and how unfair it can be and how it is a constant reminder. The musical crescendo throughout emphasizes the feeling of growing agony and frustration to perfection. The opening guitar riff sounds so familiar yet is so original as it leads into a large encompassing riff as the song opens. It then takes a break softening in instrumentation as well in the vocal performance before it hits a louder chorus. After the first chorus ends the track proceeds to build in heaviness with screaming being introduced and the instrumentation grows more intense leading to the final chorus. The final chorus also includes fantastic layering from the production team all across the board.
This album finishes off in a perfect way, a one two punch with the tracks “Giant’s Despair” and “So Far From Me.” Two tracks that close this record in a worthwhile and emotionally combusting manner possible. Giant’s Despair is the set up with it starting rather calmly with drums introducing the track. As the verse goes on it kicks up slightly for the second verse almost being a repeat of verse one with some slight changes in the lyrics before jumping into another chorus. The choruses in this song are just the right amount of hard hitting with a half time switch up as integrated as screaming vocals back up the main vocals. Where this song takes a step up is in its break and breakdown hit. I haven’t felt so emotionally impacted by a song’s breakdown since Hot Mulligan’s “Please Don’t Cry, You Have Swag.” As the breakdown fully strikes with the lyrics “Your out” being cried out, the layering of drums, guitars, vocals, bass, and even trumpets blare out as the song lets out every single emotion it has within itself. With it fading out to the trumpet closing out the track in a somber yet beautiful way.
Upon initial release as a single, I thought that “Giant’s Despair” would have been the closer to this record. It just felt right as the closer due to the grandness and sense of finale that is had by the time you reach the ending of the track. My shock that I had when I found out it wasn’t left me baffled. I wondered how they could top that ending without it feeling drawn. Happily I can say it ends the right way with “ So Far From Me.”
“So Far From Me” feels like the album letting go of the issues that were discussed throughout as though it is doing it for the better. Somber in tone through the beginning it feels like a goodbye message thanks to the help of lyrics like, “But when it swallows me whole tonight; I’ll just to keep on running; Back again see you soon; And the next time to say goodbye.” It builds to more of a heartfelt goodbye with screaming vocals “If I hurt you; I will let you fly” and the music hitting its climax. Eventually peaking and cutting with the words “goodbye” being said. Then the music returns for a brief moment to eventually fade out. Other than the literal usage of the word throughout the song this feels like a proper goodbye to the album as the feelings from throughout the record wash over.
This entire record front to back is put together so carefully and passionately. You can tell this is the band in their fullest form being upfront and honest, presenting themselves through each track on this album. Musically and lyrically there is nothing that doesn’t succeed on this album. The construction of the song structures in this album complements the lyrics during the entire runtime which creates such a strong chemistry that pulls you in. Not to mention the relatability to the themes in the song with them being beyond relatable. On top of that, one of the best parts of this record on top of the other ingredients is the production with all of the layering putting in layers that you will find on each congruent listen. Shoutout to the production team in general for their great work on the album. Overall, this is an early contender for album of the year from the band. They, on top of releasing this record, are gearing up for another tour with Koyo, Anxious, and friends Prize Horse. If you would like to learn more, you can visit their website.
