Rise After Defeat - Pragmatica EP

Rise After Defeat are a Hardcore band from Cagliari, Italy. They are part of the Strikedown Records roster, which subsequently is run by lead singer Carlo Articolo. Pragmatica is their second EP, which was released back in April last year as a limited CD EP and digital download. It followed their EP from the previous year, Maieutica, which was released as a 7". They've been hitting stages across Europe pretty much none stop over the last couple of years, including playing alongside Step On Memories, who I featured on here a good while back.

Tracklist:-

1. Emptiness
2. Hold Fast
3. Confession
4. Unknown
5. Stillborns 

Pragmatica is hard and heavy. Emptiness has that raging US hardcore feel to it, but it also has a great punk edge too. The riffs are metallic, kind of like the riffs on Gallows first album yet the vocals are screamed with true venom. The songs are quick and Rise After Defeat don't mess about with long playing times, with no song being over three minutes. The sinister melody put forth by the guitars makes it a hugely listenable EP. Hold Fast is a great example of that melody too. It shows that bands can create new or different strains of hardcore if they try!

The production on the EP is good too. It doesn't sound too polished yet it doesn't sound muddy either. The volume helps bring a new edge to the songs and stops it all from sounding watered down. Confession follows very much the same formula as the two previous songs and then Unknown hits you with ringing feedback and more edgy guitar playing. This is probably my standout track on Pragmatica. EP closer Stillborns has a sound closer to screamo but is filled with deep growling vocals. It switches pace mid-way through with the drums very much calling the shots.

It's a raucous and brilliant end to the EP, where Rise After Defeat highlight their will to experiment and progress. This is a darkly brilliant EP!

Now there's no excuse for you to ignore this EP, as it's up for both streaming and free download via Rise After Defeat's Bandcamp page below:-

If you want to pick up a physical copy of Pragmatica, there are merch packages on Rise After Defeat's own Bigcartel page here http://www.riseafterdefeat.bigcartel.com/ or you can buy the CD on it's own from Strikedown Records here http://www.cultofstrikedown.com/.

Rise After Defeat can be found at http://riseafterdefeat.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/riseafterdefeat.