Viva Clarity “Our Demons, Our Hell” CD

Viva Clarity is yet another killer new hardcore band from Finland, and "Our Demons, Our Hell" is their debut (I believe self-released) six-song EP. As with a few other Finnish bands I've covered here, Viva Clarity has a slightly different sort of style from the bulk of the hardcore that I encounter from that area, perhaps loosely comparable to Lighthouse Project, but... that's just a general reference point, really. The material's heavy without relying on chugging rhythms or mosh breaks, and quite melodic without going too far. Darker, more atmospheric passages aid the overall sense of intensity and impact, and there are even some riffing elements, dare I say, reminiscent of black metal—which is really strange because the overall vibe here isn't one that screams "metal" to me. There's certainly nothing wrong with hardcore that can't be pigeonholed, especially in this day and age, so... once again I'll basically let the music speak for itself here!

Viva Clarity "Is There Anything Left?"

...sometimes I recall the days when my young mind was so naïve and pure. But now my eyes are opened and getting older, gloomier, colder. Which one is fucked up—this world or me? I’m asking myself am I sick and insane? Am I heartless and fucked up? But maybe I don’t even bother anymore?

Viva Clarity
Levykauppa Äx (in Finland)
Record Shop X (elsewhere)