Calculator
This Will Come to Pass
Self-Released (2013)
Sounds Like: melodic post-hardcore
Score: 9/10
After over five years as a band, it’s weird to think that Calculator have just now gotten around to releasing a debut album. With a number of (pretty solid, actually) releases under their belt I thought I had them pegged in that sort of jangly post-hardcore mold. But even in these earlier releases they hinted at diverse influences, often throwing in post-rock expanses and heavier leaning breakdowns. This Will Come to Pass takes all of those cool ideas they previously put on display and realizes them in a very clean but visceral way.
The first thing you might notice about this record is the “clean” part. While each release of theirs has displayed progressively better production value, this record shows an incredible leap in that field. The vocals are brought to the fore to give a sense of presence that was previously hit or miss, but always kept in balance with the music, so as not to undermine the sledgehammer drive of the music. That proverbial sledgehammer, of course, is provided by the rhythm section. A section that might have previously been called rattling (more a result of fidelity than musicianship) gets cleaned up and becomes a veritable force. I might say that the bass is too loud in the mix, but the rhythm section as a whole has become so tight and unrelenting, it’s impossible to imagine this record being so good without it.
The fidelity isn’t the only thing that’s gotten cleaned up though. Places where songs might have dragged a bit in the past or not given quite enough time for a motif to develop are largely eliminated. Any sense that this band is feeling itself out is a memory and song construction has been streamlined, making sure that every movement has a purpose. Somewhat paradoxically, this newfound cohesion has done nothing to limit the inclusion of disparate ideas. There seems to be a certain off kilter pop-sensibility, or whatever the hardcore version of pop-sensibility would be, in the cleaned up song structures and counterpoint melody lines that tempt me to throw around the world “beautiful.” There are even a handful of “Did you cop that background melody from Brian Wilson?” moments, but in a really fun way. Weirder excursions into background vocals, math-y riffs, and even the occasional mechanical repetition that reads like kraut-rock are all wrangled in a manner that makes perfect sense in the larger scheme of This Will Come to Pass.
Of course even with no taste for the more delicate constructions of the loud-quiet dynamic or contained experimentation, it’s hard to deny that Calculator have turned in a catchy post-hardcore record. “I wonder where I go” will definitely become a staple shout chorus at future shows, and “Grinning At The Thought” has the kind of well-measured build that wins people over quickly. With the massive strides forward they’ve made, I feel like I can honestly (and happily) say I’ve heard Calculator for the first time.
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