The Way They Run is a five-piece band from Stockholm, Sweden. The style of music heard on the quintet’s debut EP, Safe Haven, can best be described as melodic hardcore – or at least what melodic hardcore was 10 to 20 years ago – with a touch of 90s emo. Though this is the band’s debut, the members come from Anchor (hardcore/punk), Guilty (hardcore) and Atlas Losing Grip (punk rock), so it’s safe to say they are well-versed in writing some hard-hitting or catchy tunes; The Way They Run definitely fits into the latter category. The band wastes no time getting things going on “Eyewitness” after a few cymbal hits to cue the other instruments. The guitar immediately reminded me of a 90s emo/rock sound, and the bass is very audible. At first, I was a little iffy on the vocals, but they improve as the song goes along – especially during the fantastic chorus. Additionally, the backing vocals heard near the end of the track are spectacular; it’s a nice little touch on an already solid first impression.
The next two tracks are titled “For Us Drifters” and “Between Wages,” respectively. “For Us Drifters” opens with a catchy pop punk riff and maintains more of a pop punk vibe for the majority of the song. If I had to pick a favourite track on the EP, it would be “For Us Drifters” because it’s so upbeat and features another noteworthy chorus and some excellent drumming. Up next is “Between Wages,” starting off with a bassline and eventually transitioning into a verse that made me think of Daylight’s Jar. As a whole, this is a solid track, but aside from the cool bridge that builds up into a climactic end for the song, there’s not much else to talk about.
My only major gripe with Safe Haven is the previously released “Cross Bearer” – which is also the final track. The vocals on this track sound awkward at times and, for the most part, the instrumentation is weaker than on the previous three tracks. With that being said, “Cross Bearer” is a decent song that closes the EP out with a bang.
Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting much because of the lame artwork and the fact that the band has 400 likes on Facebook (I wasn’t aware of the members’ past/current projects until I had just started my first listen of the EP). I’m glad I decided to check out The Way They Run’s Safe Haven, though, because it’s a very solid release with a few bangers. I’m excited to hear what else this band has in store for us in the future!
