Like a phoenix, in 2013 Philadelphia, PA based Everlit rose out of the ashes of Willpowerless, which featured brothers Ryan and Jordan Panfil on vocals and bass respectively, along with drummer Jacob Castro. Attaining success with their previous project, playing Camden’s 2010 as well as 2012 Vans Warped Tour, the three musicians know what it takes to make it in the tough entertainment industry and now look to start fresh with their high-school friend, Anthony Michael, and Kyle Wegman joining the trio. With Ryan retaining his lead as vocalist, Jordan switching to guitar, Castro on drums, Michael on guitar, and Wegman on bass, this is a new project born out of love for music.
With early influences like Nirvana, the guys’ first band was called Quake 220, and it was one of their original guitarists’ older sisters that gave them their first gig. Then, in ninth grade, they formed the aforementioned Willpowerless, which eventually received regional and national attention with 2008’s Set the Sun and Painting the Speakers Green, 2011’s Found Their Way Home, 2012’s Willpowerless, and finally 2013’s Stronger. However, due to industry suits advising them on a name change, getting accomplished new producer Taylor Larson, and a new sound, it was decided to dissolve Willpowerless, thus forming Everlit. Now making a new wave, their first EP, aptly titled Renovate, was released via RDC Media Group on June 23rd.
Renovate is a 5-track bombastic introduction to Everlit, beginning with the rocker “A Phoenix Will Rise,” an anthemic, confessional track that starts with Anthony’s fist-pumping guitar and Jordan’s driving drums, followed by Ryan’s slightly-raspy vocals of Everlit’s rise from Willpowerless’s demise. “We’re sorting through the ashes/in these changing times/A phoenix will rise.” Moving on to “Break Away,” the first single released by Everlit, which again begins with Anthony’s searing guitar and Jordan’s drums as Kyle’s bass slips in through the melody when Ryan breaks into a story of moving on from a souring relationship, “You never see what I see/the weight you’re putting on me…Gotta break away.” Again going with the “moving on” theme, “Square One” slides it with a hard, poppy vibe juxtaposed to Ryan’s dark lyrics, “Slowly you started showing your colors/that were hidden so well…I swore that I was done/how did I get back to square one.”
Hard-hitting “Black Out” is a riff-laden track with body rattling drumming as Ryan sings/screams of the pure feeling of an uncomfortable presence and wanting a way out, “You walk into the room/I can tell what’s on your mind/I try to look away but/But I lose that fight every time/Your eyes are set to kill/On this black out kind of night.” Bringing Renovate to a close is “Fake,” a Breaking Benjamin-esque, fist-pumping, headbanging confessional piece of a bad relationship with someone or even one’s self, “How can you look into the mirror/And see the person staring back?/Over time the truth always breaks through…I will destroy the fake you have become!”
From kids with a love for music and wanting to start a band, from the highs and lows of traversing the music industry, Everlit has come out on the bright side with their Renovate EP. With a new sound mixed seamlessly by Larson, Everlit’s mixed genre music and thought provoking lyrics show real maturity in the face of life’s adversities. They have made appearances at the Launch Music conference in Lancaster, PA as well as tours with Otherwise, In This Moment, and 36 Crazyfists to get the world prepared for Renovate. CrypticRock gives Renovate 5 out of 5 stars.
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