The Skeleton Years were best described as a “supergroup” during their early formations as a unit; they formed in the early 2010s and are composed of vocalist Darwin Dacanay, Sharen Uh-Oh on rhythms, Ebong Liñan on leads, bassist Mavitch CL, and drummer Charles Villanueva. They also came from beloved emo and post-rock groups such as Legarda and Richard Collier.
Both bands lasted long enough to leave a legacy alongside their peers in hardcore music collectives, such as Takefour Collective, and recently reunited for benefit gigs in places like Mandaluyong City and Quezon City for benefit show initiatives like Counterflow. Since 2002, they’ve been associated with longtime scenesters from the San Pablo, Laguna hardcore scene to the Quezon City emo kids waiting for another punk show nearby.
The current iteration of The Skeleton Years’ leanings to pop punk and “indiemo” have a consistent balance of emotive prominence to their sound and phenomenal stage presence. In their past releases from 2017 and 2018, they’ve performed these songs in textbook pop-punk fashion. But for their latest release Real Curses, it was like tearing pages they’ve written in the past, writing a new history for themselves as a new wave and gothic rock band. After more than a decade together, it was quite the literal change of pace for them.
To most of everyone’s surprise, it’s not the usual power chords and gang chants that resonate for the band. In Real Curses, The Skeleton Years have reverb and groovy basslines added to their arsenal. From wearing Chucks to creepers, untucking shirts, and donning the darkest of cloaks, it still maintains their charisma and honesty to brutal lyricism.
Darwin’s vocals are more subdued and less frantic. Sharen and Ebong are tuned lower. Mavith and Charles have gotten groovier and hard-hitting than ever. Highlights like “I Am Not Like You” feature a dance-influenced amen break intro that shifts into a gothic backdrop; “What Makes Us Weak” showcases an excellent reintroduction to the band as stalwarts; “The Ride” and its somber tones help elevate the band’s fluid approach to post-punk adjacent genres by just being irresistibly catchy; “Doom In Bloom” and its sprawling six-minute length exemplifies their ability to capture an emotion in great lengths. The rest of the album does not stop in making more infectious tunes one after the other. Subtle changes and left turns keep the listener glued to their headphones.
Whether you’re a rookie to the music scene or a veteran who’s dedicated yourself for the love of the game, Real Curses by The Skeleton Years is a breath of fresh air. They’ve grown sharper with hooks and honed their songwriting skills to a point the only logical next step is to switch musical styles completely. Patrons of the post-punk and gothic rock genres should set their eyes on this project. It puts more relevance on the radar of alternative music. It shouldn’t go unnoticed.
