SONG REVIEW: Mara Bloom - "Hateful Little Things (feat. Properties of Nature)"
“THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THE EMO RESURGENCE IN 2023”
by Jesse Smith
EMO IS ALIVE! You heard me right, Emo is alive and well in 2023 as we see a resurgence of the true emo music scene. In the past couple of years, we have seen a huge rise in the alternative music scene. Starting with emo rap, then pop punk, and now we are seeing a boom in emo and post hardcore. One of the most impressive up and coming bands is in an unpredictable place. Mara Bloom from Honolulu has been a band since 2020 but started releasing music in 2021. Now here we are in 2023 and they have just released a certified HEATER! “Hateful Little Things” brings back the old school emo vibe with a face lift.
In true myspace fashion, Mara Bloom resembles the great like From First To Last, Chiodos, and Broadway. The high shrill-y vocals mixed with the slightly distorted guitars brings me right back to high school. While this gives me a nostalgic feeling, the updated sound really makes this stand out and fresh! The beautiful balance of the clean and the fry screaming truly embody the early post hardcore and emo mix. The song is very fast paced and stays fast paced through the whole song. The energy is off the charts and is encapsulating. There is however a very sick “breakdown” that is really guitar fronted which explains the guitar solo that follows. Featuring the band Properties of Nature adds another layer and brings a whole new vibe. The main thing that really stands out is how good the vocals are. I personally give them a 10/10 and they dance on the line between Tillian from DGD and Sonny Moore.
To be honest, Hateful Little Things got me super excited for this genre to come back. A Flawless example of what the genre needs to continue to be, fresh but still pushing the boundaries. Being from an exotic place although can hinder the band from a show-reach stand point, it also makes them a little mysterious and exclusive. I can’t think of any bands that really got attention from that scene if any, but one thing is for absolutely sure, Mara Bloom deserves yours.