Don’t be put off by the overly morbid name, despite what it may make them sound like Grieving are not some kind of intense funeral doom or black metal solo project for a Scandinavian hermit, instead, the Cambridge four piece combine the exciting sounds of the modern emo revival with a nodding sense of respect for the post-hardcore bands who inspired the movement’s origins. Releasing their debut EP back in 2016 and catching the eye of BBC radio DJs Huw Stephens and Dan P Carter with their singles, Grieving have been quietly making waves, with Everything Goes Right, All At Once they’re ready to make their first big splash in the alternative scene.
In a world of emo bands trying to bring their sound up to date with modern pop sensibilities it’s incredibly refreshing to see that Grieving have some reverence for those who came before, swapping out the self-serving jam sessions that many modern bands fall into for snappy, memorable two to three minute tracks. Kicking the door in with album opener ‘Brian Emo’, an upbeat, punky single with an energy reminiscent of modern British bands like Martha or Fresh complimented by a retro punk edge via the snarling, growled vocals. ‘Brian Emo’ is gone within just over 2 and a half minutes but leaves a striking first impression, bringing a touch of bite back to 2020s punk and emo, retaining the catchy melodies of their contemporaries while giving a respectful nod to the post-hardcore, indie and punk bands of the ‘90s and 2000s
“‘Brian Emo’ is gone within just over 2 and a half minutes but leaves a striking first impression, bringing a touch of bite back to 2020s punk and emo”
Despite their penchant for tight, catchy emo bangers, Grieving do give themselves room to explore and experiment with their musical ideas, deftfully balancing on the tightrope separating genuinely interesting songwriting and self-indulgent waffling. In the hands of a lesser band Everything Goes Right, All At Once’s more extravagant songs ‘My Friend, The Ghost’ and ‘Tarpaulin’ (clocking in at a comparatively drawn-out 5:00 and 4:17 respectively) would devolve into unnecessary repetition, however, Grieving manage to keep these longer tracks interesting through deep introspection of their musical and emotional ideas. ‘My Friend, The Ghost’ delivers powerful catharsis though its reflective, personal lyrics, utilising a slower pace and American Football style clean guitar lines to earn its extended runtime, ‘Tarpaulin’ takes a completely different approach, focusing instead on musical experimentation with an almost prog-rock edge to the shifting, complex wall of distorted guitars, building up to a grungy crescendo. It’s fascinating to hear a band like Grieving build their signature sound up while simultaneously deconstructing themselves, keeping themselves on their toes with drastic changes in style without losing their unique identity.
On Everything Goes Right, All At Once, Grieving reveal themselves to be musical chameleons, effortlessly shifting their sonic palette from song to song while staying within the boundaries of the emo genre. Tracks like ‘My Friend, The Ghost’ and ‘The World Still Turns’ are slower, more intentional tracks which tug on the heartstrings through emotionally intense lyrics and subtly complex clean guitar lines, whereas ‘Wiseau’, ‘10X Michaelangelo’ and ‘Ownership’ pay homage to 90s alt-rock stars like The Smashing Pumpkins or Weezer. Digging deeper into Grieving reveals tracks like ‘Puritans’ and ‘Start Young’ which owe more to the post-hardcore scene that first birthed emo, balancing earnest, passionate vocal delivery with hard-hitting distorted guitar riffs.
While paying tribute to the bands who influenced them and came before, Grieving manage to carve out their own unique identity, shaking up their sound often enough to stay exciting and fresh. Everything Goes Right, All At Once should be seen as a template every young emo band should follow, full of heart and reverence for their inspirations, this album perfectly balances post-hardcore intensity and emotional catharsis.