Loma Prieta raises the ultimate question: Do lyrics matter when you can’t understand what’s being screamed anyway?

See, I have to ask because the cleverly, nerd-ily titled Our LP Is Your EP provides a cathartic, interestingly modern take on Gravity Records-influenced screamo. No worries: There’s no whiny, melodic singing parts, double-bass, breakdowns, or mascara applied, but it is noticeably more listenable than that label’s signature output with cleaner production and more present-day post-hardcore guitar parts. In a succinct 8 minutes (not even), the band chip and flail away at and with their instruments, screaming unintelligibly and pummeling through song after song with the sporadic quiet part finding its way in (see the ridiculous dynamic in “That Needle in the Haystack” / “Scream Triathalon” [the liner notes claim a different title than the back cover]); think Saetia underdeveloped and on absolute speed.

But the lyrics…holy awful shit Batman. Bands of this variety tend to write intriguing, beautiful poetry; Loma Prieta sometimes attempts it and fails miserably or otherwise doesn’t bother with any effort whatsoever. “It All Went Down Like on an Episode of Law and Order” reads like all the other silly death-knife-murder bands watering down this style (“With the window left open when we got there / And blood on the curtains / It was the mom all along / Bury her to ground”); I really hope it’s parodic. Opener “With a Moment of Silence All Was Lost” is just worthless (“With all this shouting, remain calm / No need to lose it / You get used to wearing ear plugs even in bed / But it’s all in my head / It was all mine / But nothing was really there / Please remain calm;” what the fuck?). The only song lyrically worth a damn is the aforementioned “Needle” / “Triathalon.”

As evidenced by its lyrical content Our LP Is Your EP could be labeled as a case of style over substance. Fortunately that style is well-played and refreshing, so if you can rest easy knowing there’s little meaning behind your listen give Loma Prieta a whirl.

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It All Went Down Like on an Episode of Law and Order
Scream Triathalon