Finch - Back to Oblivion (Album Review)

I've been listening to Finch for over a decade. Ever since that Drive Thru Sampler with "What It Is To Burn" was released this band has been a band I've enjoyed. Mixing elements of rock and punk with sounds that seemed to be mixing bands like Deftones, Glassjaw, and something original that was unique to the band. Their debut album was the perfect balance of all their influences. Their second album showed the band heading into new territory as a band and experimentation with their sound and style. The band broke up after album two and then got back together and recorded a pretty good EP. They worked on album three, but it never came to fruition. The band then went back on hiatus. They came back for some What It Is To Burn shows, which sparked another reunion and finally after years of waiting fans can rejoice because Finch has a new album out! The album titled Back To Oblivion has all the usual questions of a reunion album around it. Will it be good? Does the band have it anymore? Does anyone care?

Reunion albums are a super mixed bag. Sometimes bands fully deliver that great comeback album. Other times listeners and fans are left with head scratching messes of experimental, disjointed ideas, and basically an album that is full of letdowns. After listening to Back To Oblivion I really let it sink in. I thought about the album as a whole. The band didn't take the easy route, which would be basically to go into heyday mode and write What It Is To Burn part II. Back To Oblivion has elements of WIITB as well as the follow up album Say Hello To Sunshine, but it doesn't feel generic or copied. Instead the band created a solid sound that progresses the sound while maintaining enough characteristics of the sound listeners have come to enjoy. Vocally this album is great. Nate Barcalow shows that he still has plenty in the tank with no signs of slow down.

A song like "Picasso Trigger" sounds like it could be an alternative radio favorite. It has this sound that almost reminds me of heavy Incubus. The band sounds tight and the music is great. It's followed by the slow building rock song "Play Dead". Barcalow's voice shows that he was made for this kind of music. The band sounds confident in the direction of the album. As a unit they seem to know what they wanted this album to sound like and created a cohesive and fleshed out listen.

This album probably lived up to the hype and plus some for me. I didn't know what to expect and I'll be the first to admit I've been more than let down by a few reunion album from early-mid 2000s era pop/punk and emo bands. Finch, luckily, do not fall into that category as Back To Oblivion is a standout and great addition to the band's discography. This band is firing on all cylinders. Everything just fell into place for the band on this album. This is a cool album and definitely a more than worthy comeback album.