The Vancouver band water margin makes a significant impact with their debut album, Gleaming Cursed, which embodies the essence of 90s emo and post-hardcore. Their sound reflects a deep understanding of their influences, including bands like Drive Like Jehu and Fugazi, while maintaining originality in their songwriting. Each track exhibits a distinct musicality, from intricate guitar riffs to dynamic drumming, showcasing their ability to honor the genre's roots without mere imitation. The album consists of nine well-crafted songs that engage with the underground emo scene.
In repeating it back, however, water margin don't crib from their heroes or namecheck for clout. Instead, their songwriting and stylistic flair is naturally in conversation with the past.
An astonishingly self-assured debut, it builds off the emo and post-hardcore of 1990s forebearers without resorting to filler or redundancies.
The muscular guitar melody of 'Plague Runner' is so John Reis-coded that Spotify algorithms could mistake it for Hot Snakes.
Across nine songs, water margin invoke hallmarks of the genre's underground scene: the stilted pauses in 'Tiger Ward' recall the Van Pelt's looming moods.
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