Nightmarathons released Missing Parts back in 2019, but I hadn’t heard anything about the group in some time. On October 26, they surprise released Hidden Vigorish, their second LP. It follows the trajectory of their first album, but this time around I see a little more integration of dual vocals and some post-hardcore elements underneath the surface. And I probably have to mention the Jawbreaker influence as well, merged with some next wave melodies a la Iron Chic or Against Me! In many ways, what you see is what you get, as I think the album art really reflects what’s inside the sleeve on this one.
But while the classic bands are good starting points, Hidden Vigorish establishes its own identity. The songs often fall in the 3-minute range, with built-up emotion but tempered soundscapes that rely more on a cathartic verse-chorus-verse singalong with repetition instead of going for breakdowns, sonic shifts, or a big wall of sound. The vocal refrains serve as the emotional release while the rhythm gives its energy.
On this album, the two singers seem to trade off on songs, presumably each leading songs they’ve written. But there are also singalong choruses where it all comes together and their voices are just similar enough in tone that it’s complimentary rather than a shift of pace like the aforementioned Hot Water Music or something like Rancid, both of which use the vocal shifts to turn a song or album in a new direction. Instead, everything on Hidden Vigorish is unified with a single message, which tends to fall along the lines of fighting one’s way out of a tight position. I recently reviewed a record by Kid You Not called Here’s To Feelin’ Good All The Time and I feel like the two are spiritual companions for the year that was 2022.
Nightmarathons play emotive, yet heavy and forceful punk, sort of in a post-Hot Water Music way, but a little more predictable. The general sound is raw like punk, but a little more emotional and cynical. The album starts with the following rhetorical question, and I feel it sets a fitting tone:
Do you want to transcend the cycle of shame you’re stuck in?
