The state of a Connecticut certainly has a grasp on the whole posi-hardcore revival trend that is sweeping the hardcore nation. Despite the state's minute size, it is home to one of the powerhouses of the trend - With Honor as well as the equally as impressive The Distance and The Risk Taken. Following in their wake, hoping to garner some attention for themselves, is the youthful five-piece Our Final Say.
Same Mistakes contains eight tracks of hardcore in the vein of Champion. The songs that make up the record are all fairly similar in style, drawing influence from traditional punk and melodic hardcore bands of yesteryear. Though the band does incorporate a few breakdowns into their formula, which is my main issue with this album. The songs sound rather generic and planned out, beyond the point of typical songwriting.
There are a few moments in which Out Final Say rises above the mediocrity. "Hanging on by a Thread" is one of those brighter moments, in particular the up-tempo bridge section and breakdown towards the middle of the song. Same Mistakes concludes with "Closing Statement," which is a straight up hardcore song that is drawn out past the four minute mark in an attempt to sound epic, or so I concluded. I suggest sticking to the two minute versions, they're more fitting to the genre.
Vocally, Mihir's style is very reminiscent of Bane's Aaron Berdard. His lyrical content tackles the mainstays of the genre - betrayal, hope in achieving ones goals, and other variations of those two topics.
For what it is, Same Mistakes is a decent album. The problem is that I've heard this album five times this year already. Our Final Say is going to have venture outside of the "old school posi hardcore" vibe if they are going to want to be identified from the mass of similarly styled bands. But to end on a more positive note, this record is better than Wake the Dead.
