Spectreview: Proofs – Descend Into The Particular

-DEEP PINK-

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“I’ve checked
Yeah, there’s nothing underneath this world”

Proofs is but a tiny facet of Seattle’s sprawling post-hardcore scene, but they’re damn good at what they do. The trio of Daniel Harrington, Joseph Tady and Carlos Mata snap into grooves like Legos out of the box, writing songs that are aggressive but not over-bearing, mathy without sacrificing that crucial head-shake. Their new three-song EP, Descend Into The Particular, continues directly where their debut album left off, albeit with a shift in producers that manage to pull out an even weightier sound. Tady’s bass in particular feels more present, adding a higher-fidelity warmth and a slightly more cinematic scope to the band’s signature melodic rush. Besides that, it’s all a contained rush of performative tightness and righteous anguish, with the burning “Plane Attack” diving into the insidious “Excavator” and the slower-tempo “Itch”. Harrington’s throated howl provides the catharsis and Tady’s blunted speak-sing provides the nihilistic logos, but it drummer Mata remains the band’s secret weapon with his tasteful, pummeling polyrhythms. Descend Into The Particular may not deliver anything that’s out of the ordinary for Proofs, but it’s still a successful formula that, considering its efficacy, perhaps isn’t worth changing just yet.

Recommended for sweat.