A musical shift is evident on the opening track Loopers, which is an overt message of new breath within the body of KillScreen’s sound. Loopers is triumphant with the infectious woahs that are detrimental to modern-day anthems. However, the opener stands out as an outlier compared to the rest of the material comprised on Non-Fiction. Sonically, Loopers is in the same vein as the softer spectrum of Silverstein and Close Your Eyes, with an amplified post-hardcore-esque tone. One can’t help but feel as though the track would be better suited as a closing track, rather than a predecessor to tracks such as Scranton.
Scranton employs a melody that slithers into your ears attaching itself to your head. You will have a challenge on your hands trying to resist against singing" don’t wake me up unless you’re here, because when I’m dreaming I’m with you...".
Falconer Street follows from the pop-punk-orientated sound evident on Scranton, however with a heavier edge from the integration of abrasive throat vocals. The bridge is obstructed by an overwhelming breakdown carving "I found my heart here, on Falconer Street, this is the only thing that I could ever need..." on the imprints of your mind.
Letters provides a slower and light-hearted side to the record, showcasing the depth of the band's songwriting ability to intertwine overwhelming melodies with sheer emotion. Vocalist Juan Espinosa is acrobatic in delving into the pathways of his voice for the soaring falsetto that he conjures. The female vocals contrast perfectly with Espinosa’s painting a sincere picture of interplay between the two, mirroring the dynamics of respective parties in a relationship.
Closer and title-track Non-Fiction features one of the chunkier riffs on the record and is matched by the bold message of defiance when surrounded by adversity.
On Non-Fiction the minor weaker moments on the record are outweighed substantially by the strong evident attention to angst and melody. Non-Fiction manages to infuse the clear-polished fractions of Veara with the classic charm of New Found Glory. There is no telling what is in sight for the band if they continue to excel on their strengths.
Tracklist:
1. Loopers
2. Scranton
3. Falconer St.
4. Letters
5. Non-Fiction
Rating:
Written by Aaron Akeredolu
