Separate The Magnets

Canada's GRADE were the toast of the underground and Separate The Magnets was the album that solidified their claim as the heir apparent to the throne of emotional hardcore. Building on every facet of And Such Is Progress, Separate The Magnets is essentially considered GRADE's peak offering. Effortlessly mixing anthemic choruses with comforting melodic hooks and vicious metallic moments, Separate The Magnets also signalled GRADE's willingness to push the limits of both dynamic extremes of their sound. Opener Conceptualizing Theories in Motion is flawless GRADE, demonstrating cascading metallic riffs, vile-drenched vocals and the empathic movements that have come to define them. The trend continues throughout Separate The Magnets, while musically and emotionally either lashing out (Symptoms of Simplifying the Simplistic), seeking solace (The Adaptation of Means), or striking a balance. Separate The Magnets also furthers the evolution of vocalist Kyle Bishop, incorporating more of the trade-off vocal hostility with sung refrains, arguably to best effect on Separate The Magnets. GRADE's dramatic mood shifts and aggressive expulsions eventually even out into one cohesive whole, making Separate The Magnets their most effective release.