Dayseeker “Sleeptalk” Album Review

Dayseeker are a band in the post-hardcore scene that I’ve been a fan of for quite awhile. Their last album, “Dreaming Is Sinking /// Waking Is Rising” landed a spot in my top twenty five albums of 2017, so it’s safe to say that I was highly anticipating their newly released album, “Sleeptalk.” 

The band kept some of their post-hardcore and overall heavier roots and showed those aspects in a few of the songs on here. “Crooked Soul” is easily the heaviest of the singles that released, with the more aggressive instrumentation in the intro and the louder drums and vocals building the pre-chorus up to the chorus, which lets the instrumentals and cleaner vocals shine through some very passionate performances. “The Color Black” brings a performance just like that in its intro, one that really blew me away on first listen, but the heavier aspects of the song are shown through the screamed vocals and much harsher instrumentals during the breakdown that follows the equally as captivating bridge. Heavier vocals and instrumentals are delivered right off the bat in “Gates Of Ivory” and the breakdown and bridge found on this track lean more towards the hardcore side of the post-hardcore genre, and really embrace those influences.

On the other hand, a lot of tracks on here lean way more towards the melodic side as far as the vocals go, and show the new direction Dayseeker is going in with their sound. Opener “Drunk” kicks off the album very well, beginning with softer vocals and instrumentals in the verse, with additional vocals and harmonies bringing extra emphasis to the performance, and leading the song up to its huge chorus where the instrumentals really kick in and the vocals really stand out. Single “Burial Plot” is similar, also having a much softer start, but harder hitting drums eventually come in during the pre-chorus, which lets the vocals show even more, leading up to a very memorable chorus, where the vocal performance brings just as much emotion as the lyrics. “The Embers Glow” is an interlude that’s very laid back, but still brings the darker composition found on this album and in the band’s sound in general, and “Already Numb” is a memorable ballad primarily led by piano and acoustic guitar, which really allows the vocals to shine once again. Despite the much bigger choruses where the instrumentals kick in, “Starving To Be Empty” is another one of the most melodic tracks on this album, and the vocals of the guest vocalist featured on the track fit perfectly with the overall more laid back vibe of it.

The two remaining tracks land more in the middle, combining elements of both of these different sides of the album and the overall sound on it. “Sleeptalk” has much softer verses, but its massive chorus and bridge both bring very powerful vocal performances to the table, and while the closing track “Crash And Burn” begins on a softer and more melodic note, the melodies still have that darker composition found on this record, and there’s a much heavier bridge and breakdown later on that, while I certainly didn’t expect to hear them on the track, fit pretty well and prove how well this song fits as a closing track.

Dayseeker’s latest release contains elements that show the continuous evolution of their post-hardcore sound, while also still incorporating parts of the band’s older material. From that balance to the powerful performances found all throughout the record, “Sleeptalk” is another very solid record from Dayseeker.

Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/2oLk2Z8wtuGX1xC9evzvC9?si=2bN99ufyTKK4–34h59fgg

Dayseeker

Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube