The Felix Culpa have released a new album, Sever Your Roots, but first go back to their EP SoSo Remission which welcomes you in with foreshadowing strains of electric guitar and quiet vocals about the “new church of commerce” on “Saints Nor Salesmen.” It’s a growing, atmospheric rock akin to Southerly, only to eventually give way to some bars of screaming hard rock. The song presents an introspective look at materialism by borrowing religious language to describe how we’ve been “baptized by credit.” Coupled with the EP title, our financial security dreams can only offer a so-so remission of our sins, but there’s clearly a need for true remission, redemption, and forgiveness of our debt before God.
“Killing Stroke” continues with religious imagery, a hard rock song in sheep’s clothing making a multi-layered intensity. There’s definitely some Jimmy Eat World emo elements here, as on the EP’s closing track, “At Least You Didn’t Slam the Door When You Left.” It meanders but then brings down a staccato guitar and drum which lift up the song on its own power.
