SUPERWORLD – Surefire
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Lauren Records
Another week, another banger from Lauren Records. Beyond putting out my favorite record of 2023 (shoutout to Talking Kind, I’ll take any excuse to point people toward that album), the SoCal record label has been on an absolute hot streak recently. With show-stopping releases from Star 99, Career Woman, and GING NANG BOYZ all in the last month, it’s clear they have no plans of slowing down any time soon. It’s gotten to the point where I trust this label implicitly and will check out anything with their name on it. Lucky for me, this open-hearted approach to any Laren Records co-sign has led me to the San Jose maximalist emo outfit SUPERWORLD.
Though they’ve been a group for six years, the three-track Surefire is the first official release from the band, a lightweight but heavy-hitting pack of post-hardcore. Upon pressing play, the opening title track hits like Title Fight methadone, a melodic super punk smash with soaring guitars and gritty, attention-grabbing vocals. It all sounds remarkably realized, and it makes sense; SUPERWORLD shares members with Spy, Leer, and Stickup Kid, so these guys know their stuff.
“Dark Upper” keeps the energy high with fast-moving drumming and call-and-response vocals meant to keep the pit open and feet constantly shuffling. Things slow down in the middle for an emotionally wrought passage chased by a breakdown that floats the track to a pensive close. The last track, “Eraser,” sends listeners off with a super punk punch, complete with a groovy little bassline, group chant, and masterful full-band build that signals something beyond the typical scope or ambition for bands in this space.
With whiffs of At the Drive-In, Anxious, and a dozen other hardcore bands that I love, SUPERWORLD offer a tantalizing sample of what they’re capable of with Surefire. It may be less than ten minutes, but that’s all the band needs to prove their point. These three songs deliver a unique combo of screamo urgency with an instrumental bed that isn’t afraid to slow down and explore the dark corners.
