DIY label Hex Records started as an offshoot of a zine over 20 years ago in Syracuse, and that feeling of entrenched hometown roots is clear in Coming Down’s new album, “Curve.” Rory Van Grol, frontman for Coming Down, has known Hex Records founder Ryan Canavan for decades — he’s been in Rochester for almost 30 years and has watched the scene grow with him.
It’s obvious the band is comfortable in their sound; the members, who have been playing music together in various groups for many years, lean on moshable grooves and memorable melodic throughlines that keep each song chugging along.
The mix is full, and listeners are never without some sort of warmth in the soundscape, from the rich echo on the snares to the guitars and bass, which often hit a droning but energetic pedal tone in octaves to draw attention toward the vocals instead. Even the distorted guitars at the top of “Naturally” don’t screech with the unabashed pain of being a 20-something; instead, this album feels almost elegant and relaxed in its presentation.
This isn’t to say that the album is full of palatable elevator music — Coming Down is a vegan straight edge band; its music tackles tough subjects and searches for means of self-control.
On “You Feel Okay?” Van Grol’s vocals blare past the heartbeat of strumming bass to push the listener to confront their wasted time, and on “Doubt,” one of the tracks where one can really linger on the lyrics beyond the thumping rhythm, the song rails against fear and anxiety in a Rocky-esque anthemic way.
For those who feel like raging, these tracks balance both the proper intensity for a parking-garage scream session and the harmonic warmth for transitioning back to life as usual.
Alyssa Koh is an intern at CITY. She can be reached at alyssa@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
