The album “Ink Stains & Incidents“ is the second album released by the band from Brighton, which was founded in 2005.
Punk rock and Melodic Hardcore are the genres the band has embraced. As is often the case with bands from the UK, they at least give the impression of being different from many other bands in the genre. This impression is reinforced by the cover of the record, which comes across as quite dark and fantastic.
However, when listening, it quickly becomes apparent that the band is absolutely no different from the bands one imagines when opening the Melodic Hardcore drawer.
Craftsmanship is very good and makes for an enjoyable listening experience. The songs push forward and create a solid drive. The melodies stick in your head. The recording is quite decent. So far, so good.
But why do I think of surfing, skateboarding, or snowboarding immediately while listening, just like with other bands, especially from the USA? Most likely because that is exactly the soundtrack that made these sports popular years ago. FROM PLAIN TO PROGRESS have also played with scene giants like H20 or Strung Out during their five years as a band. That fits perfectly.
FROM PLAIN TO PROGRESS do their thing very well, craftsmanship-wise, but they are by no means reinventing the wheel. They have to accept the accusation of simply copying what was successful, adding their own melodies, but essentially doing nothing different. There is simply nothing new, and whether the band can stand out in the sea of still existing Melodic Hardcore and Skatecore bands, I dare to doubt.
