Burning Bridges by Dial Drive is an energetic pop-punk, rock album evolving the sound of Dial Dive with even deeper punk roots, clear and bold vocal performances, and fresh guitar riffs mixing distortion with complex trills to create a sense of energy and power that pushes through the album.
The intro track, Wake Up, establishes the tone of the album with immediate charisma and confidence communicated by the powerful guitar performances as well as incredibly fast-paced rhythmic drumming that keeps the intensity of the song high. There is a clear mix of emo and punk rock influences in the vocal performance that the track pulls off brilliantly.
Bury Me is another excellent track later on the album, this song evolves the punk rock sound with a staccato guitar effect that adds emphasis and power through the pauses it creates in the composition. The track has a great use of harmony, especially in the second half. The mix between the deep, gravelly vocals and the softer harmony creates a sonic diversity that elevates the track.
The drums are given their chance to shine in Death, the track swings from intense rhythm to intricate counter rhythm. Their pace is pretty impressive but also emphasises the restraint and control of the drummer in the rest of the album. That understanding of when to hold back and when to go full force shows a sense of chemistry and cohesion between the band and the experience of the drummer.
The titular track, Burning Bridges has this brilliant grinding distortion in the guitars. That noise within the audio adds a punk rock steeze to the instrumental. There is a palpable anxiety to the lyrics that nicely recontextualizes the energy of the track from power to fear and anger. To me, the song focuses on the idea of growing past and a relationship and looking back, shocked at what you put up with for so long. I think in that space there is a relatable mix of fury and regret captured in the punk rock emo vibe.
Throughout the whole album, there is a musical cohesion that elevates each song with the context of the other. Burning Bridges deepens Dial Drive’s roots in emo and punk rock, evolving their sound innovatively and excitingly while maintaining an intimacy with the sensitive themes discussed. I’m excited to see what they do next.