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Recollection is a new band made up of an all-star cast of players who excel at making aggressive music. On the band’s debut EP, Vivid Dreams, Josh Hynes (Rude Awakening, Hammer Bros), guitarist Joshua Long (Skinhead, Criminal Instinct, Rude Awakening, Hammer Bros), guitarist Austin Sparkman (Haywire, Buried Dreams), bassist G (Hammer Bros, The World), and drummer Snooka (Life’s End) prove that they’re also just as adept at melody and emotion–and these six songs are certainly packed with both.

Recollection began after the passing of a close friend brought Hynes and Long back together. The two found themselves reconnecting from opposite ends of the country, working on new songs to help process their grief. The result is Vivid Dreams, six anthemic tracks that capture the raw sound and raw feelings at the heart of Recollection. Recorded by punk/hardcore virtuoso Taylor Young (Militarie Gun, Drain, MSPAINT, God’s Hate) at the Pit Recording Studio in Los Angeles, the EP is a highly satisfying introduction to the band’s self-proclaimed “hard indie” sound. “Signals Crossed” kicks things off and wastes no time throwing the listener into Recollection’s blend of soaring instrumentals and Hynes’ ferocious roar. His delivery and cadences are as visceral as the lyrics are longing–an open-hearted lament at the challenges of staying connected as life gets more complicated.

The members’ long shared history is palpable in the music–it might seem strange to say that music this furious sounding is comforting, but there’s a real sense of familiarity, friendship, and nostalgia in these six tracks. Songs like “In Memorium,” “Last Call,” and “Less Is More” combine crunchy power chords with chiming leads, all while Hynes explores grief, aging, and a longing to stay close to friends, loved ones, and good times. It all makes for fifteen minutes of music that could inspire personal reflection just as effectively as rowdy shout-alongs.

Vivid Dreams closes with “Car Doors (Oh Ashley)” a tender acoustic ballad that makes it clear that Recollection is about expressing something beyond just frustration. These songs might have started in a place of sadness but there’s also solace–an appreciation for the time spent with the people who matter to you, even if it’s not as much time as you’d like.

Pressing Information

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