Free Friday: Swarm Of Bats - "There Is No Tomorrow"

Swarm Of Bats is the new project from Matt, Adam, John, Myk (but not Jared) of emo-darlings Brandtson. Their Myspace bio describes them like this: "From out of the darkness, through blackened skies and cold of night, come countless avengers, with black wings and blood red eyes..." So in place of the impeccable harmonies and heart-on-sleeve emo-punk they were known for and the more dance-informed indie-pop of their last album, the name change has brought about a new direction toward sweaty punk and garage rock with a dark side. They took to Bandcamp to release their apocalyptic debut album There Is No Tomorrow for free in February.

Be warned, this is not a new Brandtson album, it's a totally new concept and the album opening "Zombies"; a swaggering, high-energy dose of garage rock properly introduces you to their new sound. The hard-charging "(R U) Street Legal" is reminiscent of Queens Of The Stone Age's brand of classic rock meets punk. And "Just Say It" features noisy, electronica and a boastful, tough-guy chorus. Standout track "Down Your Spine" sounds the most like their previous band with chiming guitars and soaring vocals. And "Ink & Blood" and album closer "They Came From Above (Swarm Of Bats Theme)" are anthemic with scuzzy guitar freakouts perfect for cruising in your Camaro circa '87.

The songs on There Is No Tomorrow lack that instant spark like their work in Brandtson. The hooks are more subtle and the guitars are more atmospheric but the heaviness is a welcome commodity missed during their forays into danceable indie-pop and makes for a fun listen.

Download There Is No Tomorrow here: http://swarmofbats.bandcamp.com/

For more info click here: http://www.swarmofbats.com/ and www.myspace.com/swarmofbats