Review: Sea of Troubles – Ecchi

Ether Sea of Troubles
Ecchi

Goldenrod Media
Street: 04.01.20
Sea of Troubles = Minor Threat + The OBGMs + Bad Brains

If you miss the sound of classic punk but are also looking for something fresh and modern, then Sea of Troubles’ new EP, Ecchi, is the perfect listen. This Ontario-based band says they are noisy and experimental and absolutely live up to that description through Denzel Gordon’s erratic and speedy vocals and guitar, Jeremy Hopkins’ breakneck drumming and Callum Devaux’s savage bass. Sea of Troubles is loud, fast and gritty. They pull from the essence of punk while making the sound their own through prominent, overdriven bass and diverse, changing vocal styles.

Ecchi starts hard right off the bat and never lets up. It’s only 13 minutes long, but after listening, it feels like you’ve run a marathon. The first track, “Farce,” kicks off with a raging bassline, a major staple in Sea of Troubles’ sound. The song is a bit grungier and slower than the others, but it goes just as hard. Even with the track’s more somber pace and tone, Gordon’s vocals have a British-punk style that is unique to the song. Gordon explores many different punk vocal styles throughout Ecchi, from yelling and screaming to more straight singing, and it makes every track distinct.

The first major standout track on the EP is “Shame Police.” On this track, Hopkins’ relentless drumming takes center stage. Listening to the percussion on this track makes you feel like you’re driving in a high-speed chase, and it gives you a shot of adrenaline to match. In addition to this adrenaline, the song is a speedrun of anxiety, anger and sadness, especially with the chorus, “Shame police / Shame police / I’m chewed up / And spit out so merrily.” The song blends these emotions beautifully, reflected in how the song builds toward Gordon’s more erratic screaming.

Another distinct track on Ecchi is “Regicide,” which starts with its foot on the gas and never even thinks about touching the brakes. It also brings back in that raging, overdriven bass quality that makes you feel like your ear is right in the subwoofer. This track lives up to the noisy description and has guitar riffs that would definitely get you kicked out of a music shop. Every instrument is also given its space, and together they highlight the incredibly fast guitar, brutal bass and precision drumming Sea of Troubles is capable of.

Ecchi makes me understand what people enjoy about mosh pits—the EP makes me want to thrash around in a crowd for hours and wait to see the damage the next day. It may just be six songs, but this Sea of Troubles EP has enough energy for a dozen concerts combined. Ecchi is a beautiful mix of classic ‘80s punk and modern hardcore and is a great listen for punk fans looking for something new. You can also catch Sea of Troubles on the Black and Loud compilation, which features Ontario-based Black punk artists. –Marina McTee