Stay Awake – Portraits EP

Nothing matches good melodic punk rock music. There’s something about this particular genre that keeps me returning to it over and over again. The scene is getting stronger every day, with top-notch bands popping out from every possible corner of the globe. Stay Awake is another great skate punk band I had a chance to stumble upon while searching for some brand new music. This Thailand punk rock group is currently situated in Bangkok, but it consists of musicians across the globe. Since its inception, Stay Awake released two extended plays, One Stone Away and Portraits. Both are equally good, but I would like to talk a bit more about Portraits EP since it is their latest release.

Portraits carries five profoundly melodic tunes that are meeting all the standards of the contemporary underground punk rock scene. Stay Awake define their sound depending on the mood they’re currently into, but the entire material is compact and well-defined. Their sound continuously levitates around several complementary subgenres of modern punk rock, such as skate punk, pop-punk, melodic hardcore, and hardcore punk. The band thoroughly explores all these elements to the max, and they’re doing it pretty damn well. Each composition offers an emotive, melancholic, sincere perspective on these subgenres, enhanced by the relentless dynamics. The portion of the material keeps it in moderate tempos, but that doesn’t stop them from showcasing an enormous amount of energy through powerful basslines and excellent drumming performance.

The guitars are continuously fighting for dominance through tireless duels between intense leads and robust riffages. You’ll be blown away by thoughtfully arranged melodies, octaves, harmonies, and other intense guitar shreds that are unquestionably defining their sound. The ratio between calmer melancholic melodies and heavier riffs is constantly in balance, so it seems that Stay Awake thought about this aspect of their release a lot. The lead vocals burst with sincere emotions, and you can vividly hear it throughout the entire material. Soundwise, this material resembles something that renowned bands like Boysetsfire, Ignite, Rise Against, 88 Fingers Louie, and many other similar groups would eventually record during their careers. Still, Stay Awake are keeping their sound unique as much as possible. This material will be such a treat to all punk rockers out there who’re searching for sincere, melodic, energetic music. Portraits EP is available at streaming services, such as Spotify, Bandcamp, and YouTube. Don’t miss this one out!