The Missed - Activation LP

Just Because (2022)

I was pleasantly surprised when this LP by The Missed came in.  They had put out a really good 7" back in 2019, but I hadn't really heard anything since then.  Enter Activation, their eight song album.  Now, I could easily argue semantics about whether or not an eight song, twenty-five-ish minute release is really a full length.  I've always been of the mindset that ten songs is kind of the minimum, unless you've got a few pretty long songs in the chamber.  But that's not really my decision to make.  They say it's a full length, so who am I to argue.

Like their 7", the thing that really jumps out at me on this album is how perfect the guitar tone in.  It's warm and crunchy.  Distorted without being too noisy.  The way it meshes in the the low rumble of the bass and the excellent drumming really helps make these songs sound great.  The vocals are a bit more subdued for the bulk of the album, but they do what they are supposed to.  They carry along complimentary melodies and hit just the right level of urgency when the song calls for it.

If anything, the only complaint I really have is that the album goes by way too quick.  I almost wish they hadn't released those four songs on that 2019 7" and saved them for this album.  But there's nothing stopping me from listening to them back to back, I suppose.

The Missed - Activation:
https://justbecauserecords.bandcamp.com/album/activation