Review: Cold Night For Alligators – The Hindsight Notes

Style: Modern Progressive Metal (Mostly Clean)
Review by: Mathis
Country: Denmark
Release date: 04 March 2022

Cold Night For Alligators (CNFA) has abandoned their metalcore roots for a more mature sound with their new release The Hindsight Notes. Now I’m not just saying this because I was a metalcore kid who was salty about Bring Me The Horizon going pop! I actually never listened to BMTH, but that is besides the point. CNFA made a statement on Arising Empire’s website mentioning that this “record is the sound of us growing up as people and musicians”. Props to them, sometimes change brings about great things!

More than anything else, The Hindsight Notes sounds like a Four Stroke Baron album. The clean vocals are incredibly similar to that of Four Stroke Baron’s, they are super rich and full, and have that Curt Smith Tears For Fears sort of sound. The djent-pop fusion approach CNFA has gone for is another major resemblance to Four Stroke Baron, though CNFA is softer in nature. Another influence I noticed was with songs like “Nostalgic” and “Thin Line”, they have strong ties to VOLA’s last two albums with their catchy djenty grooves and simple song structures.

The Hindsight Notes is far less heavy than CNFA’s previous albums, with harsh vocals so infrequent that you may not even notice them. It took me multiple listens to catch some of the screams in the background. Now this in and of itself is not a bad thing, but I think some more screaming could have made the album a little punchier. The Hindsight Notes isn’t as good as it should be, it is lackluster and kind of boring. It checks the boxes, but it doesn’t feel like there is much passion. I think the harsh vocals could be the solution here, but that’s not to say it is the only solution. I mean Leprous’ “Castaway Angels” can make a grown man cry, but that song is soft as a baby’s butt. CNFA just can’t pull that off, at least not yet.

While CNFA is headed in a good direction, they didn’t get a great start. However, I can’t deny the random moments of excellence in The Hindsight Notes. “Worn Out Mannequin” is an absolute banger. It has some stellar choir vocals, black metal screams performed by Kim Song Sternkopf, a catchy bridge that is much more thrilling than the somber chorus, and a super chuggy outro. This is easily the best track on the album, the only other song that can compete is “No Connection”, and that’s only because of the sexy sax solo! I wish I had heard more of this kind of stuff throughout the album. Black metal vocals somehow pair perfectly with the djent pop sound, and add the flair that this album needs. Most of the other songs on this album sound far too similar, making it feel emotionless and stale.

This album is looking to create a new identity, but CNFA didn’t quite hit the mark. It sounds fine, it isn’t bad, but it isn’t all that great either. I suspect that their next release will be a more fleshed out sequel to The Hindsight Notes, but in the meantime I can add one banger to my new music playlist. It is a shame this album wasn’t all that it could have been, but I admire CNFA for giving it a shot.

Recommended tracks: Worn Out Mannequin, No Connection
Recommended for fans of: Four Stroke Baron, VOLA, Black Orchid Empire
You may also like: External
Final verdict: 5/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook |

Label: Arising Empire – Bandcamp | Website | Facebook

Cold Night For Alligators is:
– Johan Pedersen (vocals)
– Kristoffer Jessen (guitars)
– Roar Jakobsen (guitars)
– Nikolaj Lauszuz (drums)