Overcast “Begging for Indifference” CD

While at some point next year Overcast will probably become best known for their reunion, for the last several years they've been most often talked about as the band that was initially the home of current Shadows Fall vocalist Brian Fair, Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio, and Seemless guitarist Pete Cortese. It's rather ironic that said reunion's first result will be a set of re-recorded tracks from the band's rather scanty discography, because I always though their recording quality was pretty decent compared to other such bands at the time, and their last record in particular sounded pretty fuckin' great by mid- to late-90's indie label standards. But that's not the point.

Prior to their 1998 breakup, Overcast was among the "metalcore" elite (again, before the genre's name was such a dirty word), boasting a truly unique sound of their own that, alongside select peers, took the chugging midpaced aesthetic of the east coast's staple formula and headed in a much more metal-based direction—going so far as to drop some blatant death metal riffs here and there. While not exactly "technical" per se, there were certain "complexities" happening in terms of the interaction between instruments and the way the songs were arranged—plowing through significant shifts in tempo as well as stark contrasts between surprising fits of melody versus base, outright brutality. While their material always fell on the darker than average side of the genre, I'd also credit Overcast with being one of the earlier bands within this niche to combine an array of different vocal styles, and when you unite all of that with their at times vicious lyrics (while not as "apocalyptic" in content as their contemporaries), they did indeed receive the "holy terror" stamp from time to time.

A toxified embrace holds me up as my suicide increases and my life skids out of control, shouting back in my face, as I lose control of my hands and mind, as I reach for my peace, I claw at my eyes because insensitivity is looking away, just like a raped mother to her child I hate you just the same...

1. "For Indifference"
2. "Fate's Design"
3. "Grifter"
4. "Forecast"

I'm definitely curious to see what all the Overcast reunion will hold, 'cause these guys were the shit in their day. If only bands were still able to achieve their own individual sounds like this, you know?