Frameworks is a post-hardcore/screamo band from Gainesville, FL., that has been creating quite the buzz over the past year or so. Having a breathtaking blend of aggression and ambience, they have a pretty wide range of directions they could go with their music. With each release, they progress immensely and continue to surprise listeners, gaining new fans every time. After recently signing to Topshelf Records, Frameworks announced the release of their debut LP, Loom. The record is set for an April 29 release and has generated some pretty high hopes from music blog sites and fans alike. Luckily for the Floridians, Loom is everything everyone hoped for – plus so much more. The record begins with “Disquiet,” a short intro that almost sounds as if the band is loading in for a live studio session. It’s a cool introduction that sort of builds up this vibe that you’re about to hear a live performance. “Loom” shortly follows and things take off right away; with soaring guitars, aggressive drums and passionate vocals, the song instantly draws you in. “Mutual Collision” shows off a bit more of Frameworks’ ambient side. The song features some beautiful guitar work that fades the song out to an end. Track four, “True Wealth,” may just be one of the most ambitious songs this band has ever written. It’s incredible how massive this song sounds towards the halfway mark. Also, by this point in the record, I began to realize that Frameworks did not follow any rules or feel the need to match any expectations that may have been consciously pressured on the band by the success of their prior releases.
“Splinters” feels a bit grittier than rest of Loom. Although the track still has those ambient riffs that is signature to Frameworks, the song as a whole feels a lot more raw than the others. “Rosie” is a pretty dark twist in the vibe provided by Loom. The song also features a colossus of an ending. Next up is the very loud and in-your-face “Bright and New.” The song packs a huge punch, which eventually leads to an outro that almost has some classic-rock influenced riffs. “Affordance” contains a little bit of everything that Frameworks has to offer. The song is all over the place, but in the best way possible. It’s quite amazing how well this band can transition between aggression and ambience so seamlessly.
Track nine, “Familiar Haze,” is pure bliss; it’s a beautiful, aggressive post-hardcore ballad. The song has an ending with some riffs that one would expect some big-time, rock musicians to write. “Autonomy” is the shortest song on Loom (aside from the intro), but it’s just as memorable as the longest one. It’s also definitely one of the more straightforward, aggressive songs on the record. Closing this masterpiece of a debut LP is “Agreeable Thoughts,” which definitely feels like a closing song. The way the guitars, drums and vocals compliment each other is mind-boggling. It’s a very ambitious closing to a very ambitious record.
Loom is one of those records that, the more you listen to it, the more things you find to like about it. If you keep in mind that this is a debut full-length while you’re listening to it, you will come to realize just how talented this band is – and the ambition that drives this record is something that most bands lack. Frameworks didn’t follow a certain formula or play it safe; they made a record that is incomparable to any other in their genre/scene. Loom is dark, aggressive, mesmerizing and beautiful. If post-hardcore/screamo is your thing, then there is no reason you shouldn’t consider this a masterpiece. Loom is the most ambitious record in the scene since Pianos Become the Teeth’s The Lack Long After.
