I wasn’t sure what my first impression of the band would be, naturally. I read the band biography just to get a feel for what I would be in store for. When I noticed that each member of the band played quite a variety of instruments I knew I would be in for a delicious treat. The songs that were available to download were from an earlier release, but none the less they were all quite intriguing.
The first song I listened to was titled “Faithless”, and immediately you are assaulted with a sonic boom of sensation. The undeniable metal feel is ever present as Jeremy Penick handles throats. The sonic assault begins with Jeremy growling into the mic, immediately setting your head in motion. Moments later he has come down and singing very intentional and with definite purpose. By the time you are accustomed to hearing him sing in this manner, he has already returned to the growl as the rest of the band continue to hammer away on their dark orchestration.
The next track is titled “Lonely Places”. It begins with riveting guitar work, that played live must rattle your very teeth. When Jeremy begins his vocal comeback, he sings in a slow, melodic tone. His singing style then switches to what is very reminiscent of Jonathan Davis’ own. Switching between these two effortlessly, you get the feelings one may experience while listening to Chino Moreno of the Deftones. His throaty growls remain in this masterful piece, a piece which the listener is drawn into.
“Half Empty” also begins with a quick blast of searing guitar work. Jeremy is quick to return on the vocals, hitting the listeners soul with his vocal mastering. The hard hitting guitars coincide with the emphasis in Jeremy’s voice. While listening to this piece(over and over again) the images inside my head changed each and every time. This song is one of the better songs I have heard in a long time. The tempo changes several times, each time leaving you in a different state than previously. An excellent song.
The final offering “Tears & Smiles”, starts off with slow guitar and just as slow vocal work. Even when the string attack thickens, Jeremy continues using the slow, tortured vocals, every once in awhile raising the pitch to near growl. The song returns to the meticulous offering from the beginning and suddenly explodes. An immediate sensation rush ensues as your consciousness melds with the audio landscape that is being experienced. The song continues on this pattern of slowing and exploding with the very climax inside your head during the whole of the composition. Searing vocals contained with equally abusive guitar work leaves one battered and lusting for more. This song is by far the most memorable of the four, and on my list of favorites.
Overall, this is one band that is worth checking out. From the complexity of the song composition to the final moment of sensation, this listening experience has been quite memorable. Is there anything bad that I can say about this band? I don’t know any of the members personally, so no. Musically, they are damn good at what they do and I hope that they continue to keep doing it.
reviewed by AJ Martin “Fallen_Azriel”
