Complete! — Disappointment & Hope (2020) Exclusive stream

January 20 is the official release date of the debut full-length album of punks Complete! from Ivano-Frankivsk, but you can listen to long-play and read a review of it on our website right now. 

I think that fans of quality punk rock are already familiar with the creativity of Western Ukrainian band Complete! and they were waiting for the release of their first full-length record (9 songs with a total duration of almost 25 minutes, but this is punk rock, — quick but accurately).

But if you hear this band name at first time, it's a chance to get acquainted: Complete! was created in early 2017 in Ivano-Frankivsk by members of such teams as Folksy Junky and Fifty/Fifty, they play fast and melodic punk rock and during their existence have already made us happy with two small releases: «(COMPLETE!) D» (2017) and «On the Edge» (2018). A few days before New Year 2020, the guys reminded about their existence and released a lyric video for the single "Good Person", announcing the release of a new album called "Disappointment & Hope" on January 20, 2020.

The album opens the aforementioned minute hit "Good Person"and this song sets the whole pace of the release, it becomes immediately clear that we will hear further, both musically and lyrically — this is a kind of "trailer"to the album — a personal appeal to the listener, first-person promise to change and become a "good person". 

"Good Person" — it's a track champion. The text was written in 15 minutes on the way to job, the instrumental part - an hour of rehearsal, the video was shot in 40 minutes in the abandoned tunnel in Transcarpathia, and the editing and animation took only one and a half day.

"Rejected" and "The Smartest" remind us that there will always be those who consider themselves better and smarter, but we should never forget that each of us is a personality.

"Again and Again" summarizing everything that has already been said by the band before, not only within the album, but also in the previous songs (maybe even the ones left in rehearsals and drafts) — there are things that remain unchanged and everything in life is cyclical, but only it is up to us to step on the same rake again and again, or to draw some conclusions and to keep moving forward.

"Endless Winter" was released as a second single for the upcoming album, some comments could be compared to the famous American band Rise Against, the more aggressive vocals of Nazar really somewhere remotely similar to the voice of Tim McIlrath, but personally, I do not really like to draw such parallels, the music of the Ivano-Frankivsk band has its own sound and character.

When I first heard this single it seemed a bit passable and not as hit as the previous one, but on the album it sounds very harmonious and tunes us to the second part of the record.

The most lyrical song on the album "Your Subtle Smile" reminds us that life is fleeting and nothing eternal, so we have to leave something behind but memories, and to start acting there is no better place and moment for "right here and right now".

"Roaches Disappeared not because the Microwaves" — the longest song on the record and my personal favorite. We are living in a difficult and at the same time interesting historical moment and we simply cannot keep silent about it. Although empires fall, their adherents do not disappear, as do roaches that did not disappear at the time of the invention of microwaves — until we clear our brains — to celebrate victory early, until humanity learns to think, and so will they continue to manipulate us.

In the powerful "Static State" we are reminded that loving our country and living on our knees as slaves is not the same thing. We choose our own destiny and have to fight for our freedom.

The album's most optimistic track "The Last String", closes the record, it sums up all of the above and what's left between the lines. Despite all the disappointments, hope is always there and everything is in our hands.

"Disappointment & Hope" by Ivano-Frankivsk trio Complete! sounds whole and interesting, no song seems superfluous, everything in its place.

As for the music component, compared to previous releases, the sound has become more qualitative — it is felt that musicians are working on themselves and improving. When Nazar sang in Fifty/Fifty many listeners had questions before the English pronunciation, on the new release of Complete! — there are no claims to this, and overall the vocals became more interesting. All instruments sound clear and harmonious without merging into a continuous noise. The whole album sounds diverse and melodic, it doesn't seem like we're listening to one song.

Many may already have traditional questions about the lyrics in English, but as for me, the choice was made, not because it is "so fashionable" now, but because the guys have something to say to the world.

The only drawback to the album is its duration, but for me it wasn't a disappointment, but rather gave me hope that we would still be there in the future.

The physical release of the album is currently not scheduled, so if you are representative a record label, you have a chance to support the guys and help them with that.

There are some problems with the band now — while working on the record, the band was left without a bass player, so no live announcements were made in the near future to support the release. But I am sure all the difficulties will be resolved and we will still have the opportunity to become part of a punk rock action called Complete!

The opinions expressed in the reviews convey the views of the authors themselves and do not necessarily reflect the position of Neformat.com.ua

Complete! in social network:

https://complete.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/completepunkrock/
https://www.instagram.com/complete_band/