Seasons for Change

Live review from 16th Anniversary Party:

1) Not Enough
2) Erased
3) Anchor
4) Fall In Love Again
5) Rain
6) Sky

The crush of bodies clamouring to get to the front of the pit was my first indication that Seasons for Change were going to be something special.

Hailing the punk-pop purity of All Time Low and lacing it with an addictive post hardcore aggression, lead vocalist Kasa and company certainly did not disappoint the room of fans (and burgeoning converts) alike.

Opening track Not Enough had the crowd fired up from the very first note. Evocative of the alt rock heyday of the 00s, the searing energy and jubilation in the room brought with it a specific nostalgia- the kind that makes you want to dig out the Taking Back Sunday records you told your mother you’d given to the charity shop back in 2012.

Hot on its heels, emo anthem Erased kept the relentless momentum going. Kasa’s characteristic clean vocals were layered with fry screams courtesy of guitarist Dennis Ho, the combined force making for something far more urgent and emotionally charged than your standard pop rock fare. Truly unified both in sound and performance- everyone knows I’m a sucker for synchronized head banging and jumping- this is SFC at their prime.

Anchor, with its echo distorted guitars, Latin drumbeat, and a slower melodic groove, proved the band’s ability to hold the room even when the offerings ebb towards the softer side of punk. By mixing songs from their back catalogue alongside newer releases in order to showcase a range of material, Seasons for Change display keen self-awareness; they allow their energy to shift and change, but never die down.

Cranking the atmosphere back up to a 10, Fall in Love Again is the kind of song which begs even the most awkward audience member to get up and jump. Despite singing not being the easiest thing to achieve whilst embodying a human pogo stick, Kasa did his damn best- and whatever notes he accidentally dropped, the audience picked up.

Penultimate offering Rain is an unapologetically upbeat anthem to positivity. Whipping the audience into a frenzy with a chorus that you can’t shake, this is the infectious, hook-driven, pop-punk fantasy high you’ve been chasing all year. Flavours of Simple Plan and State Champs converge to create something which is familiar yet refreshing- and the sea of raised fists and flying feet surely agreed.

The boys wrapped the set with Sky, again swinging the pendulum back towards the heavier end of the spectrum. A deep rumbling bassline bolstered the ethereality of the track whilst the guitars spearheaded their approach to heavy metal sensibilities, proving that they are anything but a bunch of one-trick ponies.

Not only insanely talented but genuinely nice guys too, you won’t find a rock band in Hong Kong with more heart and integrity than Seasons for Change. Their love for their fans is unmistakable, with Kasa taking a moment between nearly every song to interact with the crowd and thank them for their support.
Looking at the bright, sweaty faces screaming back every lyric, it is clear that this love is very much mutual.

Catch Seasons for Change and their debut album Petals of Tomorrow on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.
– Jasmine Gould-Wilson


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Live review from Planetrox China Final 2015:

1. Not Enough
2. Anima
3. Rain
4. Sky

為Planetrox中國區決賽打頭陣的是Seasons for Change。他們的歌曲融合了另類搖滾和Pop Punk的風格,編曲等聽起來有點J- Rock的感覺。尤其在〈Rain〉,結他和貝斯的編排十分緊湊,加上以鼓點明快的節奏作引領,充分表現其又Pop又Rock的曲風,充滿活力。〈Anima〉強調鼓點的節拍,令樂曲的節奏有著明顯的層次。主音的聲音高昂有力,穿透性甚高。在最後〈Sky〉一曲,主音以歌聲帶領觀眾隨著音樂飛上雲端,傲翔天際。惟在〈Not Enough〉主音在副歌的部分音準可以更加穩定,令演出錦上添花。
– Jacqueline Tang

Introduced by a very peppy and energetic Chris B, the 5-man band Seasons for Change come onstage with an introduction of beefy distorted guitars, an interesting, pretty sounding intro soundtrack and an explosion of energetic post-hardcore.

Asking the crowd to get closer at the start of their first song “Not Enough”, the band impressed the crowd with a melodic chorus, technical lead, catchy bass melody and passionate singing style. With a tight beat and moving vocals, the crowd was moving and a few heads were rocking by their second song “Anima”. This was another energetic song with a driving chorus, catchy staccato beats and again very passionate vocals. The singer puts all his breath into his singing and the crowd can see that from his expression and movement on stage – every note he sings provokes a ‘wow’ from the front line of the audience.

The third song “Rain” was headed by a short, playful interlude by the band who introduced themselves and said they were having fun (the key to any good band, in my opinion), and started the song with a synth intro, reminding me of the driving energy of Crossfaith. Again, the vocals were very passionate, this song featuring catchy breakdowns but with melodic guitar all the way through. Their final song “Sky” got the crowd raising their hands in the air to the song, a few bodies were moving and a lot of heads were banging.

Seasons for Change are a very vocally driven band, with a very professional sound. You could tell by their performance that each of the musicians practiced very hard to get this far, and they deserved to be on that stage. In the niche market of Post Hardcore bands in Hong Kong, Seasons for Change are making an impact on the alternative scene in the Underground.
– Sherman Leung

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Performances by Seasons for Change: