Montreal's Long Story Short cut an incredibly refreshing EP in Stranded, blending precise drumming and heavy riffs into five songs stuffed with hooks and high points.

The album rips open with "Hands Down," an immediate showcase of fast palm mutes and shell fills under singer Jean-Sebastien Cyr's gruff but melodic vocals. The song tips a hat to early Wilhelm Scream or Bodyjar jams, with notable leads from guitarist Thierry Ducharme. The song leans against the title-track, offering the catchiest chorus of the EP. The sing-along lyrics and infectious melodies offer enough intricacies to stay in your head for days at a time.

"Atlas" pulls some of the most rewarding four piece punk rock from the band, sewing perfect seams between upbeat leads and bummer rhythm guitars, and at skill levels that parallel melodic guitar titans such as Millencolin. "Already Dead" adds a welcoming change in tempo and style, before yanking the chorus to quick halftime delivery from drummer Jean-Simon Vidal. The extended play slams shut with more layered guitars and anthemic vocals with "Almost Static." The dissonant riffs resolve to a guitar solo, easing the ender to be the lone song to top three minutes, before falling into a pitted outro that very nicely completes Stranded.

Long Story Short's writing style is riddled with influences and nods to countless melodic punk rock standards. The result is an EP packed to the brim with anthems that aren't too intimidating to a first time listener, and just keep getting better after each listen. This band is a breath of fresh air and I recommend a listen.