Don’t Sleep – Turn The Tide LP (Mission Two Entertainment)

I have to admit that I admire all previous incarnations of Dave Smalley. No matter if we are talking about DYS discography, Can I Say by Dag Nasty, his appearance on Allroy Sez by ALL, the entire Down By Law discography, his work with The Sharpshooters and The Bandoleros, nobody can deny the importance of this prolific artist. His complete discography represents his magnum opus, and there’s an undeniable fact that generations of punk rockers grew up listening to his tremendous works. Later on, Dave decided to form another group called Don’t Sleep, which pretty much sums up the his previous sonic endeavors.

Don’t Sleep emanates from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Besides Dave Smalley, the group also includes former or current members of Very Americans, Safari So Good, The Commercials, Junction, and In Wilderness. Since the formation in 2016, the band released a debut self-titled full-length album through Unity Worldwide Records, and Bring The Light EP through Reaper Records. Therefore, Turn The Tide is the second full-length offering to the broader auditorium that represents a proper continuation of the preceding recordings. Don’t Sleep relies upon some classic aesthetics showcased through dozen of groups before, but still possesses enough qualities to keep you entertained for quite some time. The group levitates somewhere between a very dynamic hardcore punk sound and a catchy melodic approach to punk rock music. It grasps all the affinities of Smalley’s previous incarnations, enhanced by the remarkable qualities of the remaining portion of the group.

Despite being profoundly polyphonous, Don’t Sleep may appear threatening at some points throughout the album. Thoughtfully arranged melodic structures delivered by lead guitar are playing the crucial part, but the rhythm guitar liberates blistering guitar shreds, coordinated by the dynamic rhythm section. The abovementioned melodies may sound melancholic or nostalgic at certain moments, but they also surrender massive dosages of anthemic feel. Delicate basslines are attacking the listening apparatus from beneath, but these low-end tones are hearable enough during the complete recording. Excellent drumming performance tears down everything in the broader radius with generous dosages of relentless dynamics. Dave’s recognizable vocals are layering the presented orchestrations through melodic chants and hardcore shoutouts. Judging by his performance, it seems that his vocal cords are not aging at all. Quite the contrary, Dave sounds better than ever.

Turn The Tide offers a mindblowing mixture of melodic hardcore and punk rock sound, stacked with marvelous musicianship, brilliant arrangements, and tremendous production that follows all the contemporary trends. This record will solely suit to the older admirers of hardcore punk music. However, it will also gather some new followers mainly because of the profoundly melodic structures built in throughout the record. Turn The Tide comes on marbled orange vinyl by the Mission Two Entertainment. Head over to their web store and treat yourself with this remarkable record.