Contrary to what iTunes and Spotify say, The Departure is not from the UK. There was once a band called The Departure that was from there, but they have broken up and Utah’s very own The Departure now owns the rights to that name. Led by lead/rhythm guitar player frontman Ryan DeBlanc and songwriter Aidan McDonald (also on lead/rhythm), this alternative rock band seeks to make music without regard for million dollar record sales.
While verses and choruses off their recent EP “Gateways” have simple punk-style power-chord riffs, this album is not afraid to get technical for the metal-like guitar solos. Even though some albums contain screams — in the vein of some heavy metal bands — the effect is not off-putting and helps add to the record’s dark themes, showing the pain the singer goes through.
Although released as an EP, it is long enough to be a short album (seven tracks spanning over 30 minutes). Much of it deals with the singer on a journey of using drugs, and the darker music helps add to the atmosphere. The opening track, “For the Best,” has a pop-punk feeling to it reminiscent of Sum 41. The song deals with a breakup: “Don’t say you’ll miss me when I’m gone/I know you won’t.”
The penultimate song, “Lonely Eyes,” is a nice change of pace, as it is entirely acoustic. This song is definitely one of the best off the record, but the band gets mean and heavy again in the final track “Thoughts” with the lyrics focusing on the singer wanting to rid himself of a drug addiction.
Production-wise, this EP sounds fantastic, especially for a band unsigned to a record label. Although there are moments where the vocals would’ve benefited from reverb, it’s not distracting, and it’s easy to forget about it when you can enjoy the fantastic mixing of all the instruments together.
This record will not change the music world, nor will it change Utah’s local music scene. But “Gateways” is a fun EP I highly recommend.