Cardinal’s ‘Tension Rod’ is tight, anxious indie rock with a sad, gruff take. These guys describe themselves as, “a five-piece rock band from Richmond, VA,” which “grew out of a mutual love for the dark, often brutal imagery of emo and the heaviness of post-hardcore.” The band’s style has shifted “over the years,” they say, “to embody a more straightforward sound that evokes an indie rock sensibility through Roberts’ intimate, haunting lyrics and an homage to his singer-songwriter roots.” This is definitely a strong, straightforward take on emo. It has a rolling low end which provides a solid base for the colicky guitars. The vocals are what really defines the piece, though. They have a full-bodied, honest quality which evokes a soft-yet-brutal sense of honesty. This could definitely enter any emo fan’s regular rotation. Check out ‘Tension Rod’ below!
Noah Zucker // IG – @zucker.n // Twitter – @zuckern13