Cassette Review // Bitter Branches "Let's Give The Land Back To The Animals" (Equal Vision Records / The Ghost Is Clear Records)

 

https://bitterbranches.bandcamp.com/album/lets-give-the-land-back-to-the-animals

Whenever I listen to a new-to-me hardcore band the first thing I think about is when I started listening to hardcore back in the 1990's.  But, as it relates to Bitter Branches, I actually first saw this album (which eventually came to cassette) and fell in love with the title: "Let's Give The Land Back To The Animals".  My grandparents used to own a dairy farm and at one point in time, they retired.  So all of the land which was once farm land and full of cows (and other animals and hay) was sold off and now is full of million dollar homes.  I used to walk a lot of that land when it was woods and there would be animals out there for sure.

That whole idea made me wonder when we take all of this area where there are trees and wildlife lives, and we replace it with houses or some type of business, where do the animals go?  I remember one of the people who had moved into one of those million dollar homes that was built had a bear sighting in their backyard.  All I could think was- where was he supposed to go?  You took over his home, you were the one trespassing.  And just that idea of having that space for the animals to live also felt like we were living in a better time and now it just feels like people will forget what it's like to be out in the woods or see a deer in their natural habitat.

Bitter Branches reminds me of the first time I heard Drowningman or The Hope Conspiracy.  Many bands these days want these big, chunky guitar riffs in the breakdowns, but Bitter Branches feels like they have more of an emphasis on the heavy bass lines.  This brings me back, in a lot of ways, to when I heard hardcore for the first time with Sick Of It All.   This is heavy in the way which makes me want to punch a wall or perhaps while you're listening to it, you'll get pushed up against the wall because of the force of it all.  Other bands can feel more like an open hand coming at you, but Bitter Branches feels more like a closed fist of assault.

Through these songs you'll hear lyrics which you'll want to pull out and dissect.  My favorties come at the end, as the last song "Here Comes The Chisel" says "I don't care what the other one says / I don't care what the other one does / I don't care what the other one thinks".  This feels like such a good mantra for those of us who know that comparison is a thief of joy, but also just for people who want to mind their own business and worry about themselves.  It just really feels like it's helping Bitter Branches to carve out their own path and they are doing that and more with this cassette.