ALBUM REVIEW: One Step Closer - All You Embrace

Released 17 May

Cooking Vinyl Australia/Run For Cover Records

One Step Closer have been in my rearview mirror since their three-track EP, Songs For the Willow appeared on my Spotify daily mix playlists last year. Since then, I’ve been waiting to hear even more from these guys. The band (comprised of vocalist Ryan Savitski, guitarists Colman O’Brien and Ross Thompson, and drummer Tommy Norton) mark their influence strong in melodic punk and hardcore, with the EP offering a tasty teaser of One Step Closer’s potential. All You Embrace is the band’s label debut that manages to unravel that potential further and will tip this Pennsylvanian four-piece as a hot act to watch.

Kicking off the record on a strong note is ‘Color You‘, a deep cut in a melodic hardcore direction. This blends almost seamlessly into the record’s lead single, ‘Leap Years‘. Upon hearing this track a few months ago, we bore witness to an endearing act who delivered a fresh edge to the alternative/punk arena. Contrary to their previous EP last year, this is One Step Closer making huge strides in their blossoming career.

‘Blur My Memory‘ takes a turn into mid-2000s pop punk and delivers anthemic angst that was destined for the moshpit. Savitski almost takes a leaf straight from The Story So Far ethos with his pessimistic yet hopeful words, and this notion continues onto ‘The Gate‘. Grooving swiftly into a steady drumbeat, Tommy leads the band into a radiant blend of rock melodies that match the spirit of the current contemporary emo landscape. If One Step Closer were aiming to unravel their most passionate selves on this song alone, they nailed it.

Upbeat, almost electric riffs up the ante on ‘Your Hazel Tree‘ and in the best way possible. Honestly, from this moment on, All You Embrace gains so much strength and you kind of must ride alongside those sonic waves. If the previous track gave you chills, this one is going to send you into a punchy, sweaty, dive bar aura. There’s a hint of catchy pop punk here which acts as a foreword motion onto ‘Orange Leaf‘. This marks a sense of familiarity and similarly to the song title, the lyrics offer vibrant metaphorical insight about leaving a place you once called home. The lyrical progression is greatly noticed on this record and is huge for an act of their tenure.

‘Esruc‘ and ‘Slow to Let Go‘ injected edgy guitar undertones with hammering drums that turned moody words into an anthemic pull of optimism. Those high-strung melodies proved a highly enjoyable listen and I can guarantee you’ll wanna hit repeat on these tracks straight up. One of the biggest standouts though, is ‘Topanga‘. Following that ripple effect of pop punk edge, this track hits you in the right spots for a feel-good summery-rock tune.

Rounding the album out for a softer tone of solemness is ‘Giant’s Despair‘, which provides a retrospective into Ryan’s mind. ‘So Far From Me‘ takes us out almost full circle, with those raw, vulnerable vocals washing out with the tide, allowing for a moment to reflect on this alluring body of work.

All You Embrace is an album that fuses passion and creativity into a subgenre that can sometimes feel stagnant. However, One Step Closer have managed to inject and ingrain new life into this style of music, while at the same time shedding their skin into a full-fledged act poised to take on the world. Overall, it’s a powerful label debut that begs to be heard by the masses and I implore you to take it all in. More than once.

Rating: 8/10

Review by Tamara May

Pre-save/pre-order All You Embrace here