Portland’s own To Bloom delivered an absolute gut punch with their latest single, Daughters. As a manifesto of poetic grief, they waste no time in hurling listeners straight into a heady maelstrom of progressive post-hardcore where light and darkness wrestle for dominance. Every progression feels scathing by design; the poetic lyrics cut right through the mix as Bruno López-Vargas’ vocals oscillate between guttural screamo ferocity and falsetto harmonies that act like flickers of hope among the chaos.
The track is laced with intricate guitar work that drives the drama, matched by symphonic euphony in the background, while post-rock elements cascade into something raw and untamed. There’s nothing half-baked about the emotions here; To Bloom are mourning, fighting, and remembering, all at once, as they process the pain of witnessing someone’s decline and the grief left in their absence. Yet, there’s something uplifting woven into the DNA of the track: a belief that even inside sorrow, community, and memory can become lifelines.
Born from the long-standing creative partnership of López-Vargas and Kevin Merrill Payne, and fuelled by authentic Latin grooves and bilingual lyricism, To Bloom have manifested a rare identity in a crowded scene. Their DIY ethos, bolstered by Portland’s own Logan Candelaria, Nolan Plummer, and Cory Wolfe, keeps the spirit honest, raw, and utterly magnetic.
Daughters is now available on all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
