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You will be forgiven for mistaking The Oklahoma Kid for a rising Southern US band with their latest western-inspired country record, but this could not be further from the truth. The quintet proudly emerged from the bubbling post-hardcore scene in Germany and have dropped an absolute modern gem with their sophomore effort Tangerine Tragic. The Oklahoma Kid have been backed by Arising Empire since their debut and the band is currently paying off the trust tenfold, contributing to the label's stellar and growing reputation, and actively pushing their local scene forward with flair.
This was probably never the original intention but Tangerine Tragic dropped on the 3rd of June, coinciding with the hugely anticiapted premieres of the latest efforts by metalcore powerhouses Bleed From Within and Thornhill, not to mention While She Sleeps' delux re-issue. While The Oklahoma Kid is miles away from their sound, and unfortunately would not attract the same level of attention (yet!), they have delivered a beauty of a record that stands boldly alongside them, and is more than ready to compete on equal grounds with the very best of the contemporary scene worldwide.
Nowadays, experimentation is key for any modern band trying to survive in an increasingly saturated scene of various-core acts from all over the world fighting for attention. The Oklahoma Kid's answer is an impressive amalgamation of metalcore, hardcore, screamo, nu metal, punk rock, techno, d'n'b and even indie, and where for many such post-modernistic pastiche inevitably leads to a chaotic mess, the German 5-piace pull it off marvellously.
On the surface, Tangerine Tragic is a modern melodic post-hardcore record, but beneath the restraints of inadequate labels lies a truly innovative and diverse collection of influences, tropes and risks. Just as you get a grasp of its dominant direction, the album changes moods and pace within seconds, never still, timid or boring. It is an exciting ride from start to finish, and one that signals the growth of a band that is only just starting.
All this only goes to show the stunning instrumental prowess of Fred Stölzel and Andreas Reinhard (guitars), Robert Elfenbein (bass), and David Burtscher (drums), and their imaginative compositions, arrangements and layers. However, it is Tom Brümmer's vocals that easily shine above the rest with his insane range of both coarse raging screams and vulnerable cleans that take the entire record to a whole new level.
To summarize the otherwise perfect bio at Arising Empire, The Oklahoma Kid "stand for breathtaking modern metal that bridges the gap between technical intricacy and energizing rhythms" and never stop "pushing the boundaries and breaking old conventions" with songs that "vary between huge wall-of-sound arrangements and fragile melodies; vintage aesthetics meet modern perfectionism; abstract conceptualism meet sophisticated arrangements.
All of this captivating fluidity can be heard right from the synth-led raging opening 'To Dance With Fire' all the way to the epic atmospheric closing 'Ohnmacht'. It is there in the certified bangers 'Melt Into You', 'Pale Tongue' and furious 'Waldsterben' as much as in the considerably more melodic and emotive 'A Velvet Feel', 'Come Undone' and 'Dye Back To Pink'. Above all else, The Oklahoma Kid's creativity reaches its peak with my personal highlight and absolute modern masterpiece 'Words Like Violence'.
If someone had told me at the beginning of the year that one of the most imaginative metalcore records will come from a relatively unknown German band by the name of The Oklahoma Kid, I would have been sceptical. Yet, here we are almost half-way through 2022, basking in the wonderful genre-defying Tangerine Tragic that shows what modern metal could sound like if bands (and their labels!) get the creative freedom they need.
The Oklahoma Kid - Tangerine Tragic
Country: Germany
Released: 3 June 2022
Label: Arising Empire
Tracklisting:
1. 'To Dance with Fire'
2. 'Pale Tongue'
3. 'A Velvet Feel'
4. 'Words Like Violence'
5. 'Replaced'
6. 'Come Undone'
7. 'Waldsterben'
8. 'Dye Black to Pink'
9. 'Melt Into You'
10. 'Lost Purpose'
11. 'Ohnmacht'
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