I, The Mapmaker – “Searching” [Album Review]

UK melodic hardcore is one of those scenes that, without fail, always manages to produce a stream of quality bands. I, The Mapmaker are another one of those bands who, courtesy of their debut offering, Searching, have weighed in with a solid set of songs that will certainly stand them in good stead for the future.

Ticking all the right boxes, Searching is, like most melodic hardcore releases, a raw, heartfelt affair played straight from the gut judging by comments from the band about the inspiration for the material. Even as early as the opening track “Ghostmaker”, the South Coast quartet weigh in with a delicious scene-setter packed full of jarring guitars and mix of clean/harsh vocals. “Disbelief” is another great example of I, The Mapmakers strengths and sees the band joined by Justine Jones from fellow hardcore bruisers Employed To Serve. On the whole, Searching doesn’t disappoint however, while the core of their sound isn’t anything particularly genre-smashing, it’s elsewhere on the EP where I, The Mapmaker try and expand their sound that you get an inkling what this band are capable of.

Whether it is the two parter “1933” and “1933 Pt 2”, where the band explore both ends of the musical spectrum or the more traditional sounding “Capsized”, it’s nice to hear a band who are willing to take a risk or two and try and push the boundaries of the genre as, going forward, it sets the bar for a promising future.

Searching Track Listing:

01. Ghostwalker
02. 1933
03. 1933 Pt.2
04. Disbelief (Ft. Justine Jones of Employed To Serve)
05. Capsized
06. Searching

Run Time: 23:44
Release Date: May 18, 2018

Employed To Serve’s Justine Jones guests on the video for Disbelief. Check it out here: