Fiddlehead – Death is Nothing to Us (2023)

I first heard Fiddlehead when they released their debut full length “Springtime and Blind” (2018), I listened to it extensively, then came (2021) “Between the Richness”.

Now we’re at the bands third full length “Death is Nothing to Us”.

Now, if you’re somewhat familiar with hardcore as a whole like me, you know that Fiddlehead is a band from Boston, with Patrick Flynn (vocals) and Shawn Costa (drums) of hardcore band Have Heart. That’s how this band grabbed my attention in the first place.

Their first full length “Springtime and Blind” made a nice listen to me for sure, “USMA” standing out for me, as well as “Lay Low”.

So, how’s this one then? Let me take one step back, I really like bands like Turnstile when they go for the punk side of hardcore things, I like bands like Militarie Gun, doing something between punk, pop and hardcore. I like my hardcore, but I really like different takes on punk, pop-punk and hardcore.
For me it would be Fiddlehead that leads the charge in this particular sense, this one opens fast with “The Deathlife”, it then takes you on a journey of melodies, even the song “True Hardcore (II)” is super melodic with great high ranging vocals.

This would be hardcore guys playing punk that boarders to some sort of protopunk hard to describe, it’s like Balance and Composure and Drug Cruch did something together. Maybe.