One Step Closer

Straight edge punk band from north-east Pennsylvania, One Step Closer are a four-piece consisting of Ryan Savitski (vocals), Tommy Norton (drums), Colman O'Brien and Ross Thompson (guitar).

Formed in 2016, One Step Closer have been going strong with several well-received releases under their belt. More recently, they have refined their line-up, and are eager to keep up with their loyal fanbase by delivering ferocious live performances as well as brand new music. Their highly anticipated new release ‘All You Embrace’ will be the second album released by Run For Cover Records.

Defined as melodic hardcore, One Step Closer cite Turning Point as well as blink-182 and Green Day as having deeply influenced of their sound and style. You can hear these 90s bands seep into their material, as well as some from the early 2000s. Sum 41 can be heard in Ryan’s vocal range and tones, as they have a distinctive Deryck Whibley quality to them. In addition to that comparison, we enjoyed hearing a Mark Hoppus-inflected “I’m Sorry” on one of their tracks ‘Topanga’.

Breaking conventions of the melodic punk genre with their tight production and creative choices, ‘All You Embrace’ includes subtle and intricate touches to their hardcore sensibilities. Expanding their heavily melodic guitar-laden sound with an eerie electric pick scratch on the intro of ‘Color You’, playing out ‘Blur My Memory’ with softly-played piano, and the inclusion of soulful trumpet on ‘Giant’s Despair’. By being willing to express themselves through nuances and take chances in a way that adds layering and texture to their musical efforts, they’re conveying how much they’ve developed and evolved as artists.

Throughout the album, you can clearly hear authenticity matters to them. With introspective and thoughtful tracks like ‘The Gate’, a soaring emo punk track tempered with feeling and delicately ended with an acoustic guitar outro. Alongside the surging and emotive ‘Esruc’ and ‘So Far From Me’ showing us how much they have matured over time with heartfelt and confessional lyricism that crushes you emotionally.

Saying that, this is still a furiously frenetic, uncompromising and unrelenting chapter to One Step Closer’s story. ‘All You Embrace’ is packed with tracks full of feeling and fury. There’s a constant hard-hitting hardcore whirlwind that takes hold of you. 'Leap Years’ is an impressively aggressive example of how hardcore they can go. With forceful and energetic tracks like ‘Your Hazel Tree’, ‘Orange Leaf’, ‘Slow to Let Go’ and ‘Topanga’ that give you the feeling, when performed live, these songs come to life in a completely different way.

You can be certain fans of One Step Closer will absolutely love their new material. Any potential new fans out there, if you like a bit of emo, alternative punk and shouty vocals, we highly recommend you take a chance on ‘All You Embrace’.

Tracklist:
1. Color You
2. Leap Years
3. Blur My Memory
4. The Gate
5. Your Hazel Tree
6. Orange Leaf
7. Esruc
8. Slow to Let Go
9. Topanga
10. Giant's Despair
11. So Far From Me