Vancouver's
Woolworm don't hesitate to speak proudly of their roots in the Canadian hardcore scene, though an examination of their body of work reveals an uncommon virtue among modern hardcore bands: a willingness to evolve and explore. Their third full-length album, 2019's
Awe, certainly boasts the intensity and conviction of hardcore, but they've learned how to incorporate pop melodies into their sound, add atmospheric touches drawn from indie rock, and make their guitars tower like shoegaze or jangle like vintage alt-rock. Some listeners have also noticed a touch of emo in their music, but vocalist
Giles Roy doesn't sound miserable for his own sake; instead, there's just as much fury as puzzlement in his performances, and combined with their physical, epic-scale guitar sound,
Woolworm have crafted an approach that's tuneful and powerfully emotional while still packing a serious punch when they see fit.
Roy's introspective lyrics go a long way toward giving this band a keenly original personality, but more importantly, this is a band that make the most of the ensemble's talents.
Roy and
Alex Pomeroy are a guitar team with ambition and the skills to make their ideas work, bassist
Heather Black sets a deep, strong melodic foundation that gives the guitars room to explore (she also contributes some fine harmony vocals), and
Nick Tolliday's drumming melds energy and drive with a master's touch in how to punctuate the song. Put the pieces together and you have a band that get their punk rock right but don't feel obligated to stop at that particular border.
Woolworm have been releasing worthwhile music since 2009, and
Awe shows just how much they've learned in ten years, and how effectively they've put that knowledge into practice. ~ Mark Deming
