Influences: downcast

Breaking out of their hometown of Bristol, downcast specialises in producing heartfelt pop-punk that is delivered with plenty of charm. This week, the quartet are releasing a new EP called ‘WTF HAPPENED’. The follow-up to 2022’s debut full-length, ‘i saw hell when i was with you’, is a bold and bouncy collection filled with anthemic hooks.

Tracks such as ‘raincheck’ and ‘bittersweet’ thrive with a sense of urgency and hint of introspection. ‘your absence’ is boisterous, partly due to Sam Harbridge’s drums and Jeff Bowyer’s rumbling bass. While recent single, ‘your band sucks anyway’, is lyrically venomous with an infectious melody and is paired with a reliable and rugged alt-rock sound. Threaded together by nostalgic quotes from Wayne’s World, downcast serves up a convincing and encouraging snapshot of their capabilities.

Combining anger, romance and grief with a sound rooted in pop-punk and anthemic rock, we were intrigued to know who and what influenced the members of downcast during the making of ‘WTF HAPPENED’. So we asked them to choose five influential albums (and one inspirational bonus track). Zang!

Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher

Liam Edwards (vocals): This isn’t the genre of music that usually resonates with me, but I fell in love with this album. She has exercised an impressive amount of skill to incorporate so much of her own personality into these songs. The stories conveyed through her lyrics are ones that if written by the wrong person, could be perceived as mundane, but she does it in such a way that makes it feel like you’re a friend reminiscing on old times with her.

The Wonder Years – The Upsides

Liam: It’s not my favourite The Wonder Years album, but it’s the one that began the journey, which eventually led them to being my favourite band of all time. I became so invested in the lyrical storytelling; no other band had resonated with me in the same way before. I think I, particularly at the time of discovering this album, could relate to Dan’s conflicting feelings of hopelessness and determination. There’s a sense of raw honesty to this album, which was refreshing, and even now, feels like a rare find.

Sum 41 – All Killer, No Filler

Ben Lucas (guitar/vocals): My dad used to have this CD, and it’s been in the house for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I loved the catchy songs, but more recently, I appreciate how they can go between borderline heavy pop-punk (for the time) to super poppy and catchy, all while incorporating some of the most memorable lead and rhythm guitar parts.

Bullet For My Valentine – The Poison

Ben: This is probably the first “heavy” album I ever liked. I remember hating screams in music before I heard ‘Tears Don’t Fall’. I told a friend who was into heavier music to check it out, and they told me they thought Bullet For My Valentine was super cheesy, and only years later I can see where they were coming from. Again, I love the iconic guitar parts in all of their music and how they toe the line between super catchy and more aggressive.

Strung Out – Exile In Oblivion

Jeff Bowyer (bass): Discovering this album was like falling down a twisting rabbit hole of sound that won’t let you escape. Strung Out pioneered the line where punk rock and metal shake hands, and ‘Exile In Oblivion’ is an undisputed monolith of a technical punk record that tests the limits with every lead riff and passionate melodic chorus. It jumps from dark brooding intensity into a bright reprise. It’s the kind of record that sounds like it came from the future, and I think that is why I come back to it time and time again.

Strung Out are immense shredders and poetic metaphorical lyricists, and this record washed over me in a way that has bled into my songwriting and style of guitar playing. Listen to ‘Blueprint of the Fall’ to get your face melted.

Bilmuri – ACOWBOYSHEAVYLOAD

Ben: Honestly, absolutely love everything Bilmuri put out, but the guitar solo in this one song is too fucking epic. Inspirational.

‘WTF HAPPENED’ EP by downcast is released on September 6th through Side Mission Records.

downcast will be touring the UK later this month.

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