“Never Before Seen, Never Again Found” from Arm’s Length

Arm’s Length - “Never Before Seen, Never Again Found”

After a few years of anticipation, Ontario's own 4-piece pop punk/emo band has released their debut LP.

This album kicks off with “Overture,” which builds up from some easy-going melodies to a slow-rocking power ballad. The guitars range from bright and dreamy to powerful and solid, the drums hit hard, and the bass gives just the right amount of depth to the instrumental range. Arm’s Length’s main vocalist and songwriter, Allen Steinberg, also has some impressive force behind his singing.

“Object Permanence,” one of the singles released in the lead-up to this project, keeps up the momentum. There’s some interesting imagery, like when the speaker describes a metaphor of losing their legs, resulting in them getting put down and taxidermied. 

It’s worth pointing out how you can really hear how Arm’s Length has skilfully blended together the sounds of a few different noteworthy bands on this record. Among other inspirations, they’ve cited The Fray, Hotelier, and The Wonder Years. 

That’s not to say that the album doesn’t have its own identity. “Aries (Moth Song)” is a good example of a standout track that is all their own. This tortured love song shows off some voice crack-filled growls in the middle of the track before alternating between Steinberg’s range of soft and strong vocals. 

“Tough Love” has the most interesting and thought-provoking lyrics of the album so far. It brings up doubts surrounding the passing of time, losing touch, and never quite getting in the groove of life. The following track “Formative Love,” also focuses on getting painfully introspective to the point of it interfering with your life.

These tracks set up insecurity and uncertainty as the big themes of the album. A lot of the lyrics deal with nervousness about finding your place in the world, losing grip on reality, kicking yourself over little things, and getting caught up in existential dread. The next half of the album follows, elaborating on each of them and touching on sensitive subjects like suicide and loss. It has to be said, Steinberg’s lyrics are unapologetic in their vulnerability.

Starting with “Family and Friends” and continuing into the lengthy final track, “Dirge,” the album gradually starts to wind down into a somber conclusion. In one last burst of energy on “Dirge,” the speaker admits “I am blessed to be home / I am possessed by my past,” which summarizes the project pretty well. 

If you’ve enjoyed the previous releases of Arm’s Length and/or enjoy the melodic end of the pop punk/emo spectrum, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy Never Before Seen, Never Again Found. Fans of the genre should keep an eye on this band, as they’re already off to a solid start.