If you are a fan of melodic hardcore and all its sub-genres, than you need to hear Eau Claire, Wisconsin’s Arms Aloft. How this band has flown under the radar is beyond me. These four songs conjure up so many touchstones and a few of those are openly listed in the band’s influences…Hot Water Music, Kid Dynamite and Dillinger Four to name a few. Arms Aloft flex an undeniable midwestern take on Americana tinged punk rock. I am reminded most specifically of a band that I love that a lot of people might not know about, Boston’s underrated (and sadly defunct) Lock And Key. But to list all these bands that Arms Aloft remind me of seems to sell them entirely too short. These guys aren’t ripping anybody off, in fact their hammering out this style better than 99% of the bands before them. Arms Aloft are so good at what they do it is almost unfair to their peers. The band bottles up so much angst and aggression in their songs and then unleash it with such poise and precision. Arms Aloft know how to write big, catchy and powerful punk rock tunes that leave the listener begging for more. Let’s hope these boys are hatching big plans for the future cause I am ready for more.

Label: Dead Format

Dreams Are Dogs That Die In Their Kennels

02-arms_aloft-dreams_are_dogs_that_die_in_their_kennels.mp3

www.myspace.com/armsaloftforever