Title Fight fine-tunes its sound with newfound '90s grunge on 'Hyperview'

“Hyperview” begins in a slow-moving ark, a story told at half-speed. Title Fight, known perhaps for more millennial punk rock, is shifting gears and taking a hyperview of its own discography, re-examining it with listeners. The journey is unexpected yet rewarding. The album is a return to the grunge of the '90s, yet a step forward, marking a new direction for the Pennsylvanian punk rock outfit. While carefully stepping into the new territory of sludge pop, the band is taking new risks, a move that is sure to pay off big in the weeks to come when the album is officially released on Feb. 3.

On “Murder Your Memory,” the band seems to be singing both to itself and to its audience, reminding both parties of the influences and origins of itsmusic. In this vein, Nirvana verve and classic rock slink (à la The Velvet Underground circa 1970) weave their way through the first few bars before lead singer Jamie Rhoden starts to dole out pieces of lyrics like a reluctant mall Santa handing out toys to children. The song is brief, a mere 2:38, but the half-tempo timing works to great effect. The track is molasses -- slow, and just as sweet.

“Chlorine” is wailing guitars and reverb, it’s the kind of unpolished angst that feels like it should be listened to while wearing a dirty flannel and Doc Martens. It may be a reach to say that "Chlorine" is a reference to Nirvana’s iconic baby-in-pool album cover for “Nevermind” (1999), but knowing the depth of Title Fight’s newfound introspection, it may not be far off.

The comparison to Kurt Cobain is unmistakable on “Hypernight” (the album's third track) and “Rose of Sharon” (the album's sixth track), where Rhoden is yell-singing in classic Cobain style. The tracks could be said to venture into an emo/screamo sound if not for the perfect bass line in the background, rounding out the sound and adding a fuller-bodied texture to the track.

“Mrahc” feels like the track where the band has figured out how to not take itself too seriously. It is, quite literally, charm in reverse. With winding guitars that feel very much like “Island in the Sun” (2001) and “Whatshername” (2004),Rhoden and Ned Russin (who plays bass, sings and plays the theremin) blend together Weezer and Green Day in an effortless West Coast cool style. Somehow the East Coast natives have the style down pat.

“Your Pain is Mine Now” is a deliberate joke about angst and a heady love ballad. The duality is dizzying and unexpected. Given the band’s punk rock history, the punchline feels directed at itself. And with two albums under its belt, it seems fair that the group has gained the maturity to be able to laugh at itself. However, the sickly slow pacing that the track keeps is just plain cool, and lyrics like “Don’t cry your eyes out” are delivered like they are being strained through a sieve; they are just hokey enough to be fun and just morose enough to be beautiful.

The album is undeniably punk with a slower, grungier edge; it is no softer for its pacing and, conversely, packs a strong one-two punch with every track. But each song’s brevity -- many of them clocking in just under three minutes, and never exceeding four-and-a-half  -- keeps the intensity short and high.

While the album feels a little repetitive after a while, tracks like “Trace Me Onto You”  blending into “Liar’s Love” blending into "Dizzy," the album’s consistency prevents the LP from feeling formulaic. Each track has a unique guitar track with verb-echoing riffs and lackadaisical pacing. The sheer honesty of the band’s lyrics, delivered flawlessly by Rhoden and Russin, are heartfelt and searing, tucked into sections where their impact is almost diminished by the mellow ambience of the album.

If there is any takeaway from this album, it’s that Title Fight is more aware than ever, going headfirst into new territory and coming up victorious. It is raw and honest, exploring new paths while paying homage to its punk past, and the balance of the two is evocative and gorgeous.