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Saosin

Saosin (EP)
2005
Capitol

Saosin - Saosin (EP) (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Brian
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Published on September 27th 2005

If the "game" is the latest wave of super melodic, emotional post-hardcore, then it's hard to disagree that with the release of 2003's Translating the Name EP, California's Saosin was surely at the top of the game. Anthony Green's magical voice sounded angelic above a perfect mix of melody and complexity, absolutely ridiculous, double bass-led, slick drum work from someone who was literally a former drum tech for Slayer, and dual guitars with just the right touch of metallic energy. Anyone already familiar with all this is also aware of how several months after the EP's release, Green, knowing full well how quickly the band wanted to move forward with things, quit outright, eventually joining up with former members of This Day Forward and Taken in the more Dredg than Glassjaw-influenced Circa Survive. The band sought out a replacement, and reportedly thought Green was playing a joke on the band when samples from eventual pick Cove Reber came in. Since the August 2003 release of the EP, the band has contributed merely two different songs to two different compilations, respectively. Saosin (titled by the band as The Warped Tour EP, but recognized nowhere on the packaging) is the band's first individual release since, but with a grand total of two new songs on the five-track disc.

While the band's debut full-length is still nowhere near completion, Saosin certainly has the makeup of a mere "single" rather than a new EP, as it contains the leadoff track "Bury Your Head," a video for which was made the past year and received decent play on the music channel FUSE, and appeared on this year's volume of the Atticus: Dragging the Lake compilation series. There's two new tracks that follow it, with a live version of "Lost Symphonies" (the studio version of which derives from TtN), and an acoustic version of the lead track to wrap it up.

While Reber's resemblance to Green is indeed rather uncanny, it's more in the sense of a second or third-rate way. His voice is comforting, but hardly within the vast range of Green. Yet, what's sad is that it complements the band's toned-down style just fine; gone is the ridiculous complexity of the percussion, departed are the everchanging riffs from the guitarists, and nearly completely lost are the fantastic buildups the band used to execute so well. In its place of each are some rather straightforward, modern emocore tracks like "I Wanna Hear Another Fast Song," which, while isn't a terrible song alone, is merely mildly catchy and a bit unassuming with its chorus of "we seem so far away from these things we used to know," which is possibly the most appropriately worded lyric the band's written yet (although the line "we seem so far away from everything new" either grasps its hand or takes up the other end of that spectrum depending on your perspective). Rarely do tempos change in this song, if at all, and the breakdown is rather uneventful with Reber moaning "all we are is no one," wrapping up with an abrupt riff and double-drum bass combo. The complaints with the song could be the same said for "New Angel," which is slower-paced and even less compelling as a result.

Anyone familiar with the bonus disc that accompanied a limited number of TtN copies knows how well the band's songs translate to the acoustic setting. Here, "Bury Your Dead" is given that treatment with practically the same production style, seemingly trying to recreate how great the past efforts were. For the first few listens, it works, and how. Reber's voice sounds much more powerful than usual, and the crisp plucks of the acoustic fill the song rather well. Given some repeated spins, the track seems to drag towards its end without any sort of massive peak to ever really hit.

If the new songs offered up on Saosin were in fact B-sides, I doubt we'd hear much of a complaint from fans. However, if these are the standout results of their work post-"translation" more or less, then come the release of the band's debut full-length on Capitol in early 2006, we'll likely be left desiring foreign sounds.

MP3
Bury Your Head

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 11:35 AM (EDT)

You guys seriously have no idea what your talking about when you say cove (present singer of saosin) sucks and is just eye candy? Wtf? A band that has done such great work in the past would just find a singer that can't sing? Yah soo this is his first cd ever! the kid is gona get ALOT better even though hes already showing great talent and hits termindous amount of high notes. I think he'll change all your minds with this new LP coming mid october =)

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 4, 2006 at 2:53 PM (EDT)

OMFG GREAT!!!! fuck you if you disagree.. hope hitler comes back and rapes ur family

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 at 5:30 AM (EDT)

saosin idoLness

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 12:43 AM (EST)

almost forgot..
i'm alexis from philippines..
the messege below is mine..
thanks

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 12:41 AM (EST)

saosin, the revealing of true expression, you'll feel a tragic emotion..by the way, we're covering "i can tell". they say my voice is close to their vocals..be my mentor..thanks for the music..the cry

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 4, 2006 at 7:44 AM (EST)
My Score:

Saosin rocks!!

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 26, 2006 at 7:45 PM (EST)

theyre hecka sexy

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 2:40 PM (EST)

this ep sucks....

Anthony Green did wonders for Saosin, i'm
not saying he's the best singer in the world,
but he had charisma and a voice that is way
better than the dude Saosin has now, the new
guy is sooo average and it's clear Saosin got him
because he's young, wears tight jeans for the
teen girls and is just eye candy, cuz he can't sing
for shit.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 15, 2005 at 8:54 PM (EST)

The Band is amazing, hands down best performance at warped tour in Detroit.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 15, 2005 at 12:00 PM (EST)
My Score:

I love Saosin's music, but the South Florida show they put on at warped was really mediocre. It was so hot the lead singer could barely sing a quarter of the song. They need to come back down and play a real show.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 9, 2005 at 11:38 PM (EST)
My Score:

Whats with this and cove or something i know the music but i dont know much about the members... what happened! did they get a new singer what happenede to the old one, i coudlnt tell the difference between there old shit and new stuff, someone answer!

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 1:53 PM (EST)

I am so lost, in the Bury Your Head video that is Cove right?
well who wrote bury your head? Does Green ever even sing that song? And which one sings Mookies last Christams? Does Green sing on the white EP and Cove on the Black one? Can someone email me at rustysurfdude312@hotmail.com and give me the scoop? I have just jumped onto the saosin and circa survive bandwagon and i am obsessed but a little lost

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 1:49 PM (EST)

saosin is still good

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 4:07 PM (EST)
My Score:

o and yah i do live for music!!!!

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 4:06 PM (EST)
My Score:

This Album is the fricken best!!! i dont know what all of you have up your ass but dont be so dont be so ignorant!!! cove is hot, amazing!! and has good vocals!! yeah anthony green can hold a note a little better but give me a break SAOSIN STILL ROCKS!!! and yeah circa survive are awesome to but the "new" SAOSIN KILLS!!!! SO LAY OFF... u people have nothing to say!!!

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at 3:41 PM (EDT)

mine's the one down below...
AIM: tuesdynitlingers

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at 3:40 PM (EDT)

hey... everyone has their own opinions and i think we should just leave it at that.In my opinion anthony is an amazing singer and no one is saying you have to think the same thing.
Don't go and get into some arguement because of this. music is music man. you either just enjoy it or like me, live for it...

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 22, 2005 at 12:07 AM (EDT)

i totally agree with some people and i think some people just srent in touch with their gay side. Anthony Green WAS SAosin. They are poop without him. I have never seent hem live, but i can totally believe that they arent very good. circa isnt as good as the old saosin either, it sucks when shizz like this happens you know?

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 20, 2005 at 3:55 PM (EDT)

i saw these guys last night opening for a7x and saosin blew heavy nads. they had four gibson les pauls with the same friggin paint job-black w/gold outline. that's just retarded. and all they did was spread their legs 30 feet get down and headbang with a buzzcut.
oh yeah the singer's a fruit

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 20, 2005 at 3:55 PM (EDT)

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 1, 2005 at 11:29 AM (EDT)

Okay, I'm going a little off-topic here, but this shit bugs me.

I went to a basement show last night where I knew none of the bands playing. I thought, "Shit, I'll at least like one of them!". What I got was 4 metalcore bands playing a houseparty with a keg. I guess my issue is, how does the macho behavior represented at metalcore shows supposed to prove that you aren't gay? I heard the word "faggot" and "nigger" used over the mic at least twice each, while trailer-park rejects punched other kids in the face. You know, like ninja-style kicks and shit.

My question is this: If these metalcore morons are so worried about the fags, why do they act in a way that excludes females? The few chicks who were at this show went somewhere else when the bands played, because idiots kept hitting them in the face. If this isn't repressed and bitter homosexuality ("get away from me, and don't tempt me you yucky girls!!!") I don't know what is. You can also include the rampant attempts by some fan to pull down one singer's pants and the sweaty, shirtless pile-ons by the boys as evidence of this.

Anyone who likes to floorpunch and karate-kick people at shows, please respond to this. I want to know what you think you accomplish by being an asshole at shows.

-Ken

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 29, 2005 at 7:49 PM (EDT)

Score is for the review. One of the best reviews I've seen in a while.

Loved the Dredg : Circa :: Glassjaw : Saosin analogy.

Posted by Cheesetits on 2005-09-29 18:41:17

Needless to say, their drummer is amazing. Put that dude on another band for christs sake.

Posted by yayforapathy on 2005-09-29 18:27:15

i don't get why everyone thinks that anthony green is like the most amazing vocalist, i saw circa at warped and me and buddy left thinking Circa Suck live"

You must of seen them on an off day. Or maybe I saw them on a good day.... I shall marvel at this some more.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 at 10:42 PM (EDT)

i don't get why everyone thinks that anthony green is like the most amazing vocalist, i saw circa at warped and me and buddy left thinking Circa Suck live

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 at 3:11 PM (EDT)

wussies

Posted by stricken on 2005-09-28 00:35:26

oh yeah.. and new Saosin is definately mediocore.

when i heard the demo for New Angel.. i had high hopes.... then i hear the "official" version, and they turned it to shit.

and 1/2 this band made up Open Hand at one time.

Posted by stricken on 2005-09-28 00:33:29

the two guitarists are the only original members.

Posted by ElVaquero on 2005-09-27 19:30:10

Yeah, the guy who is the main songwriter is still in the band. They also use tons of effects and Protools the shit out of everything. While this made Translating The Name infuriatingly good, it can't stand up live.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 7:17 PM (EDT)

All of these bands are so fucking bad live.

Good thing the teenage girls that are 95 percent of their audience are too dumb to notice.

Posted by JSoprano on 2005-09-27 18:21:54
My Score:

They'll never top them selves

Posted by bizzlebrizzle on 2005-09-27 17:29:09

Fags

Posted by bloodbrothersburnpiano on 2005-09-27 15:34:01

such a miserable dissapointment.

Posted by rkl on 2005-09-27 15:31:48

Saosin - Saosin
Posted by Anonymous on 2005-09-27 04:50:28

Circa Survive is heading south-away from the Hot Topic Arena that Saosin will be forever condemned to.
Who's going to be more fun to listen to in 2 years? I have a hint for you. The first word in the band name is also a "hip" skateboard show company name.

Barkley
skateboard show company?
when i quit skating, circa just made EXPENSIVE ASS shoes.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

anthony wasn't the main song writer.

Posted by CallingLondon on 2005-09-27 12:49:52

when a bands main songwriter leaves the band, the band is nomore.

Posted by inagreendase on 2005-09-27 12:39:24

so this is what lyman is trying to hype as the next big thing. i'm not sure if i want to see him fail at that or not, it would be sort of scary to see a guy with enough power to make a shit band huge. you know sort of like what he did with good charlotte or mest

Do you have any clue what you're even talking about?

Posted by garbage on 2005-09-27 12:04:47

i completely agree with the review except for the fact you gave it any stars. i just dont understand how since anthony left, hes already put out a full length and saosin has put out just about nothing. wtf have they been doing? and i also read the new saosin only involves 1 of the original members? ah well, this new saosin is looking to blow. circa survive is the shit.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 11:32 AM (EDT)

Posted by Dante3000 on 2005-09-27 11:18:42

So true story told to me by some dude who went to the show.
So he went to see Saosin open for A7X at The Pound in San Francisco awhile back. For those who don't know the pound is roughly a 400 person venue that looks like two of those portable classrooms duct taped together. Oh, and it leaks in the rain.
Anyhow, before A7X set the band has the lites dimmed, and these wierd greenlights put on. Then they have a smoke machine start pouring out smoke and the soundtrack to Disney's "Haunted Manchine" playing. So the band attempts to magically appear on stage by crouching behind their amps and hiding in the smoke. The problem is the stage at the Pound is nearly 2 feet tall and there is not seperation from stage and crowd. So basically the band was sitting crouched, three feet from fans, in maybe 12 inches of smoke, hidding behind their amps. You seriously need to see the Pound to imagine how retarded this would look.
-Dante

Posted by superdude on 2005-09-27 08:43:20

Yo Saosin,

I bet you love to run around your house with your shirt over your head like Beavis doing his Cornholio impression, yealling "SAOSIN!" I mean, I do it, so I figure that since it's your name, you probably do too.

For the record buddy, I don't care if you wear girls' jeans. I mean, you've got feminine thighs, what are you supposed to do, wear a garbage bag over them? Forget those guys. They don't know you.

Nobody knows you, not like I do anyway.

Getting creepy,
Superdude

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 6:35 AM (EDT)
My Score:

haha..this is one of the worst bands ever..for guys in girlie jeans

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 4:50 AM (EDT)

Circa Survive is heading south-away from the Hot Topic Arena that Saosin will be forever condemned to.
Who's going to be more fun to listen to in 2 years? I have a hint for you. The first word in the band name is also a "hip" skateboard show company name.

Barkley

Posted by Mixhail on 2005-09-27 04:37:10

Saosin and Circa Survive are both crippled bands. Saosin needed Anthony Green badly and Green's epic-emo attempt that is Circa Survive isnt as awesome as it is cracked up to be.

The best "emocore" band in the game right now is The Receiving End of Sirens (or TREOS)... they even have Anthony Green on 2 of the songs.

Posted by wussemorock on 2005-09-27 04:36:22

this EP is so bad its unreal. seriously, a waste of time to listen to. and...they suck live too

*****Wuss-Emo-Rock*****

Posted by ElVaquero on 2005-09-27 04:18:15
My Score:

I agree with everything said in this review.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 2:15 AM (EDT)

circa survive is better.

Posted by wehavecomeforyourchildren on 2005-09-27 01:03:22

i'm not even gonna waste my time reading about this shit band.
but i will waste my time leaving a comment!

-sam

Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-09-27 00:57:15

i hope this dudes not singing on the new sounds of animals fighting release

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Posted by theundergroundscene on 2005-09-27 00:50:10

i haaaaaaaaate this singer

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 12:42 AM (EDT)
My Score:

these guys are dude bangers.

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