Review: Continents – Idle Hands

Continents
Idle Hands

Victory Records
Street: 01.22
Continents = The Plot In You + The Ghost Inside

This was a surprising post-metalcore record that shows a lot of promise, even though it doesn’t quite work. There are a lot of competing elements, inspired by both the early days of the genre and more modern bands, that never quite meld together to make a completely cohesive and original sound, as if the band is cherry-picking from influences to build a Frankenstein monster instead of making sweet love with their own creativity and producing a new, beautiful baby. The musicianship is competent and, at times, perfectly enjoyable, but the songs just feel half-baked. Expect a lot of dissonant chugging guitars, group chants, breakdowns, thumping beats and switches between screams and clean vox, as comes with the territory. Fans of the genre will probably find it a worthwhile experience. Hopefully, future efforts will see the band trusting their own creative vision a little more. –Megan Kennedy