Such Gold are a band I've always loved. Since 2012's Misadventures I'd always lump them in with other melodic-hardcore/punk bands like A Wilhelm Scream, No Trigger, Brutal Youth and After The Fall. 2014's The New Sidewalk then saw them temper things down a bit -- less pacy and more pop-punk -- and this Deep In A Hole EP more or less seals the shift. Is it bad? Not at all. I can see them on Warped Tour circuit with bands like Neck Deep and Knuckle Puck but it still feels like their older sound is their best one.

The old vibe creeps around only on "Ransom" and a tad on "Worlds Collapse". I missed the blazing riffs, incessant drummering and rip-roaring vibe that allowed Such Gold to release all their frustration on the world. But with age, new direction seems too tempting so I can't fault them for trying poppier and cleaner jams like "Stained Glass Brain". It's just five tracks on offer but it's clear that they believe they're comfortable in this more accessible and radio-friendly skin. And it does suit them well. Ironically, it's a similar story to how After The Fall evolved but hey, at the end of the day, once your band is making the music you wanna make, then that alone is a win.