Review by Saxy S for Poison the Well - The Opposite of December (1999)

I knew within the first few moments of "12/23/93" that I was going to get along just fine with Poison the Well's debut record from 1999, The Opposite of December...A Season of Separation. It is exactly the kind of post-hardcore/emo infused metalcore that came out of the late 1990s with acts like Hopesfall and Skycamefalling that I really love. The rawness of these recording is really noticeable with how punchy a lot of the breakdowns are. Poison the Well have done excellent work with cutting out the fat that becomes commonplace in many a post-punk and post-hardcore band around the turn of the millennium. The vocals are relentless in their genuine anxiety and passion, almost as if the vocalist screams are about to break down into wails at any moment. But as a counterpoint, the catchiness of the guitar riffs alongside some of those repetitive vocal lines just pushes this record above the rest. It is a wonderful blend of metalcore intensity alongside post-hardcore's more progressive songwriting. 

Best Songs: A Wish For Wings That Work, Slice Paper Wrists, Nerdy, Mid Air Love Message, My Mirror No Longer Reflects