FIGHTS – Fights (2020)
FIGHTS is unleashing their self-titled debut EP on the world. Fights touches on a range of heavy themes from drugs to lacking hope and ambition to feeling that you are not seen. While hitting all of the negatives in life, each track on the EP uses tongue-in-cheek lyrics that offer a little ironic distance.
This delve into the negative emotions of life comes from Sivert Moe (vocals), Sigve Kvitvik (bass, backing vocals), Markus Uttisrud (guitar, backing vocals) and Eirik Langva Lie (drums, backing vocals). The Oslo-based band is gaining attention fast and this EP lets you know why. Their debut single received airplay in their native Norway and beyond while the band played support for punk band Honningbarna.
The EP starts with ‘Melk Eller Reker’ which is a short opening track. There is a funfair melody in the background of the track that mixes with the alternative rock guitars. The vocals consist of snippets of people having fun before everything seems to go downhill just before the track ends.
The topic of ‘Meth Metal’ is rather self-explanatory as the title tells you what you need to know. Through the single, you are treated to the story of a man who enjoys meth and doesn’t listen to the please of others to stop. This is set to a heavy punk sound that pumps through you from the first second. Moe’s screaming vocals bash against you while the guitar lines slice through your chest and make you shake. This turns to a paced melodic chorus that makes you want to jump around and go crazy.
‘Psympathy’ takes a different turn while retaining the pulsing punk sounds. A cry for help and plea for someone to talk to, the single combines screaming vocals with the catchiest guitar-driven melody. The lyrics make you want to cry out loud with the band as they try to overcome depression. The vibes of this track are amazing as they hit you with the pleading of someone needing help bolstered by the anger of not being able to get the help needed.
‘Reker’ is a very short interlude of 36 seconds. The music builds slowly before you are treated to a rather manic laugh. This fades out with the melody for a really interesting inclusion in the EP.
The frantic jumping energy is back with ‘Wasted Time’ as the guitars and drums pound through your body. As the music forces your body to move, the vocals work through feeling that you have made all the wrong choices. The chorus is a great combination of Moe’s screaming vocals and melodic backing vocals. The backing vocals add an almost taunting element to the music as they make fun of you for all the bad choices you have made.
The EP comes to a crashing end with ‘Incel Inside’. The leading guitar line effortless draws you into a single all about incels. Through the bouncing beats and moving vocals, the band works through feeling invisible, but calls for you to not do anything too crazy. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics look at these feelings while offering a cheeky glance at some of the good things in life. It is a perfect way to end this engaging EP and potentially one of the more engaging tracks.
FIGHTS hit you with a relentless stream of punk rock goodness with their self-titled EP Fights. Each track has its own vibe, but they all offer a cheeky insight into negative aspects of life from drugs to incels. The crashing guitars, pounding beats and screaming vocals keep you hooked from the first second to the very last note.
Find out more about FIGHTS on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
