Label: Self released
Date: March 3rd, 2025
“It’s so late that it’s almost early!” Too early even for sparrows to wake up and start chirping. Depending on who you ask!
This Belgrade based quartet published a debut full length after just one EP, back in 2022. However, in between the two, they’ve changed the frontman which is always a giant blow for any musical entity. Still, the trio behind picked carefully and found a right substitution. But more on that later.
For starters, it must be noted that the four of them constituting 3 A.M. are quite experienced in handling their respective instruments. Also, these people know music. In particular, the music they perform with their newest offspring. The bands that formed their personalities and musical prowess are the pillars of Serbian underground. That’s the first sign of the havoc about to start.
Then you take a quick look at the cover artwork. Then a second one, longer, more perceptive and conclude that there must’ve been a serious effort put into this release. Now that you’re convinced, it’s high time to dive into “Sparrows Chirping at Witching Hour”.
To reveal a concrete drawer where 3 A.M. belongs is not at all a hard task to complete. This is a hardcore band, no question about it. But that’s a lazy exit strategy for any reviewer to succumb to. Hardcore is a vast rainforest where many a wild thing grows. 3 A.M. builds their sound from the basis of nineties US hardcore. Everything they create is ultimately wrapped into Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, Suicidal Tendencies, Madball… You know what I’m talking about! It’s the tough, heavy, punching hardcore. But there’s a fine undertone to it. The quartet dissipates the fuming, yet somehow standard and predictable east coast hardcore with mainly thrash metal and metalcore.
While the thrashing influences might stem for both sides of the ocean, USA and Germany, there’s no doubt of the North American origins of metalcore at 3 A.M. Machine Head, Converge or a more melodic ones such as Killswitch Engage.
Now, none of those influences should matter more than being simple signpost of what type of music to expect on “Sparrows Chirping at Witching Hour”. Moreover, all of the listed above and the combination of hardcore, thrash and metalcore is nothing that wasn’t there for a long time. What does make a difference is the creative power which needs to keep you hooked to these songs. Thankfully, there’s an abundance of neat ideas that stick to your mind. If you ask me, the key lays in the barrages of extremely catchy guitar riffs, perfectly accentuated by adrenalizing drumming patterns.
For example, as I’m writing these lines the album crosses over the closing track, “We Are 3 A.M.”. The track perfectly demonstrates what I mean. Even besides the line from the title which will be gang screamed at any given 3 A.M. concert. Listen to the verses and tell me that riff is not a hardcore diamond, I dare you! And it’s not the only one on the record!
Naturally, this type of album needs to be a pulverizing wall of sound, through and through. Not only when it comes to production, since it would be a bitter disappointment if “Sparrows Chirping at Witching Hour” was anything but perfectly produced, mixed and mastered. The album is rhythmically brilliant, filled with all the necessary breakdowns and, most importantly, teeming with explosive energy!
And now I’m coming to the switch at the microphone. Mr. Miloš Marjanović is a newcomer in 3 A.M. though nowhere near a new face on Serbian scene. It’s been a while since last I heard him sing in his primary band Violent Chapter, or perhaps he adapted his screams to the new band, but it could also be just me. Whatever the case may be, I feel like they fit perfectly to this release. His voice is very understandable, yet filled with dreadful rage spilling over to the listener. So much so that even the occasional lyrical shortcomings can easily be forgiven. By shortcomings I mean a descent into cliché here and there and a few “paroles” that could inspire an eyeroll.
Still, while I cannot quite call “Sparrows Chirping at Witching Hour” a hardcore masterpiece, I can dub 3 A.M. a band that is certainly capable of putting together songs that contain more than enough intensity, drive and potency. Coupled with obvious capacity for creation, all the reasoning dictates that if you are in any way into hardcore this album needs to pummel through your speakers. How many times, that’s for you to decide, but it definitely deserves a chance!
