I wasn’t sure what to expect when the sophomore album from Brooklyn based Darro came up for review. Advertised as pop/punk, pop/rock, and emo pop rock, it wasn’t the sort of genres I was used to but, I will admit, I was actually pleasantly surprised.

Accidents is an album of ten songs, each with the story of their own little accident or crisis, building up a picture of some of the moments in Darro’s life that have impacted him the most. The lyrics are deeply personal, emotional, and full of pain, but shown in quite an upbeat way as none of the tracks are what I would class as solemn songs.

Mixing 2000’s emo/pop punk with rock and pop, Darro has created a sound that he can call his own. From simple melodic riffs to more upbeat chord progressions to complex guitar techniques, Darro has proven he is an accomplished musician, and this is shown more in the heavier, rockier second half of the album.

The melodic guitar mixed with electronic elements and experimental percussion gives the album a fresh, modern sound and there are even some current hip-hop and r ‘n’ b inspired styles thrown in there too.

His vocal range is broad, ranging from boyish pop vocals right through to gritty huskiness, and this gives each track a different feel, making this album accessible to a wide reach of listeners.

Given that Darro defeated brain cancer and had to relearn to even speak, let alone sing, this album proves what a strong, determined performer he is. He should be immensely proud of what he has achieved here, and I urge anyone with a love for 2000’s emo rock/pop punk to give this album a listen.

Think Good Charlotte mixed with Post Malone with a huge dollop of Avril Lavrigne thrown in and you will be well on your way to knowing what this album is about!

And to finish off, although this is not usually my sort of music, I would love to hear more from Darro and see where his musical journey takes him, and us!

This album is purely the property of The Metal Asylum