In “Hate Being Human,” the latest single from Dark Below, the band’s melodic driving force marvelously melds Tool-style vocal harmonies with furious riffing that would appeal to casual rockers as much as it would serious alternative music aficionados with a discriminating taste for rebellious rhythm, and while it’s not the only indie anthem worth checking out this November, this track is undeniably one of the smarter songs of its style to debut in 2022 thus far. On the surface, Dark Below isn’t much different from the scores of bands to come to prominence in the post-grunge early 2000s, but beneath the cosmetic finish lies a talented group of players who don’t consider the status quo when making new music.
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The drums here are perhaps even more violent than the guitar parts are (which isn’t a common feature in alternative rock, old school or contemporary, to say the least), and in more ways than one, I think they define the narrative in this song more than anything else does. The lyrical content in “Hate Being Human” is fine, but were it not framed with as physical a groove element as it was in this instance, I don’t know if it would have landed as well as it ultimately does in this state.
Though the bassline in this single isn’t quite as heavy as I would have expected it to be, the efficiency that the construct this power trio decided to go with here yields a lot of additional edginess in the music that wouldn’t have been present here otherwise. The hook in the chorus benefits from the lack of oozing low-end tonality, and to some extent, I think this setup sets Dark Below apart from the band’s mainstream rivals in the best possible way – emphasizing simplicity over commercial indulgence (a concept that used to sit at the very foundation of indie rock).
“Hate Being Human” enjoys an excellently clean production quality, but I wouldn’t say that anything about its mix – or its material, for that matter – feels or sounds even remotely plasticized. In creating as fine a definition as he did in this single, these guys were able to highlight just how versatile a group and, more importantly, a sonic force they can be when there aren’t any artistic limitations set before them. They’ve still got some room for growth, but from the looks of this track, they’re well on their way to making a big splash outside of their native market.
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For those who would be as bold as to say that hard indie rock is dead in 2022, Dark Below puts out one heck of a conflicting statement in “Hate Being Human” that will almost certainly put the genre’s few remaining doubters to rest once and for all. There are a lot of really exciting rock acts coming out of the underground at the moment, but if you want something straightforward and slightly familiar in tone (as opposed to fervently experimental, as so many alt hits have been this autumn), this is the single you’ll want to pick up this November.
Jodi Marxbury