The genre of heavy metal/screamo can be off-putting to some mainstream audiences, it often features heavy guitar rifts, screaming and aggressive lyrics. Some bands try to find a middle ground between being overly heavy metal and too pop. Up and coming group, Everlit, has mastered that balance on their debut album, Renovate.
Everlit features Ryan Panfil (vocals), Jordan Panfil (guitar), Jason Castro (drums), Anthony Michael (guitar) and Kyle Wegman (bass). The group came together back in 2014 but before their musical career, the group focused on their friendship and just having fun playing music. It was through a natural progression of friendship and rock 'n' roll that Everlit was created. The band builds on the strength of the members to create their unique sound. Panfil has a very strong vocal range and his talent is highlighted by the instrumentals put together on guitar and drums. Every element builds on the other and the result is a modern metal sound.
The album opens with "A Phoenix Will Rise" which is a strong introduction. With this first track, the band slowly introduces the audience to their heavier sound. This single does feature some very intense lyrics and screaming, but it does in a way that elevates their sound, it doesn't feel like screaming for the sake of trying to fit into a heavy metal genre. This album feels like a balance between pop/rock/metal and the result comes across as modern and refreshing.
Renovate continues on with "Break Away." This is the most mainstream single on Renovate. It's aggressive but the melody takes on a pop sound and the lyrics are catchy. This keeps the theme of Everlit being heavy-hitting but also embracing different styles of music which helps to make them more mainstream in the music industry and with a wider range of fans.
Following "Break Away" is "Square One" which slows down the tempo of the album and takes on a more emotional tone. This shows off a different side to the band is needed after two very hard hitting opening tracks. Everlit takes the time to build out an entire musical sound and the album feels like a concert instead of just singles put together.
After "Square One" the album kicks back up in energy with "Black Out." "Black Out" is the hardest hitting song on this album and feels the most like a heavy metal single. Despite the band embracing more modern sounds and pop influences on early track, Everlit stretches their musical legs on this sound and returns to their heavy, hard-hitting roots.
Closing the album is "Fake." "Fake" is a surprising track because it feels like a different take on the current metal industry. This song has strong pop influences and Panfil really takes the time to tell a story through his vocal deliver. This is the most polished song on the track and could easily be the next single following "Break Away."
Renovate is different, out of the box and at times very loud but that all works for Everlit. They aren't afraid of being different or stepping into different genres. They are willing to experiment musically and this will result in a wider fan base. This is a band to watch on the charts.
Watch the music video for "Break Away" here: