Local Review: kickass – Life = OVER

kickass
Life = OVER
gapyear 3000
Street: 5.29.2026
Kickass = Braid + my better half

The future of Salt Lake City emo is kickass. The band consists of Kyle Ashcraft, Jack Hamilton and Jayden Christensen. Their debut EP, Life = OVER, was dropped at the end of last May — and it’s nothing short of kickass. Ranging at about 18 minutes with six tracks, it’s a perfect record to put on if you’re feeling nostalgic. With a versatile melodic guitar and powerful vocals blended with screams, the band has the potential to become a staple in Salt Lake City’s music scene.

Before the release of Life = OVER, they only had a couple of demos on SoundCloud that consisted of raw versions of the tracks “Life = OVER” and “So I’ll Walk Away.” It blows my mind how this release, their first official one, sounds so professional and thorough. I found out the production was done by Ethan Guertler, who also happens to have ties to Salt Lake City’s music scene as a member of the emo band gapyear.

The title track, “Life = OVER,” is fast-paced and melodic, setting the stage as a perfect opener. The blending of regular singing alongside screams worked absolutely flawlessly here; at one point, it’s as if they’re going back and forth. It’s like listening to a beautiful argument.

Track two is titled “In a Perfect World, Never.” It begins with a voice recording recreation of a conversation from the movie Kick-Ass 2, stating, “Why are you dressed as kickass?” and in response, “Because I am kickass.” This is followed by guitar and drums kicking in, which proceeds into a much more distorted and heavy dynamic. The fuzzy guitar in this track is something that really caught my ear, coming in only at specific times but doing its role perfectly.

“On Second Thought..” reminds me of an early 2000s emo song with the way the instruments are orchestrated. The intro is about 45 seconds of a sad, melodic guitar and soft drums, but then it progresses into faster drums and screams. About halfway through, it resets and goes soft before gradually building up again.

My favorite track is “So I’ll Walk Away,” formerly known as “walking down this road.” It begins with a minute-long intro of a sweet-sounding guitar riff that transitions into beautiful singing with multiple harmonies emerging in the background that sound as if I’m in a concert hall. Throughout the song, they reiterate the line, “show me,” which I came to believe is a cry for help.

The fifth track is “Take My Head,” and I’m starting to feel the EP coming to an end. This song is very emotional, but I’m not sure whether I’m feeling grief or joy. Halfway through, there’s a conversation in the background that appears to be an argument. This is then built up into screams and singing for the last minute of the song.

The final track is titled “Epilogue.” Purely instrumental, it was able to capture emotions in me that lyrics cannot. I felt as if I was saying goodbye to something important, a chapter. This track really speaks to its name, ending things in a sentimental and nostalgic way just as emo is supposed to.

I came across this EP on an Instagram post and I didn’t know the affect it would end up having on me. It sparked all these emotions: joy, sadness, nostalgia, etc. That right there is what makes a record special. Any band can go and make music, but one who can reach a specific audience and do it empathetically — they’ll be the ones with a fanbase. I’ll say it here: kickass doesn’t just have the potential to be the future of Salt Lake City emo. They have a chance to be the future of emo. —Zack Pinter

Read more local music reviews below:
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