Pre-releases are all the rage these days, and EPEX are preparing for the release of their first full album with the sentimental Graduation Day (졸업식). Over the course of the past few years, the group has ping ponged between genres, often going to opposite extremes. But we haven’t really heard them slow things down for a ballad.
Graduation Day has a wistful appeal, peppered with filtered chants for extra heft. The members sell the emotion, but the melodies need to work harder. Neither the verses nor the chorus spark much of a chord, simply going through the motions without finding a memorable hook. A song like this is all about its tune, and a knockout chorus would have created a sense of lift needed to break Graduation Day out of its doldrums. As is, the song is pretty but slight. I’m curious how the album will sound.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
