Scarlet "Something to Lust About" CD
[Ferret]
It's been like two years since their last record, and this here's just a really brief EP that I believe is limited edition for some odd reason. This is absolutely tighter and more coherent in the writing department than their release on Tribunal was, though they're certainly not shaking off any of the dissonant and chaotic quirkiness of their earlier work. It's just that these songs are much more rhythmic and easier to follow because the riffs flow together better and they've progressed as both players and writers. It's as simple as that. You've got some chunky mosh grooves, some odd timed picking, lots of Converge meets The Dillinger Escape Plan types of zany guitar textures or technical runs, and scathing screams galore. "Sell Yourself" is a quick little melodic track with programmed drums and synth textures alongside bursts of distortion and distant guitars and vocals; and "Suicide King" closes on a similar note with some effects over the drums, electronic noise in amidst the guitars, and even some singing vocals. Very cool. The production is pretty damn good. I like the guitar tone because it's heavy and has a bite to it, but it's not muddy or overly abrasive. The bass tone isn't too distinct and that can muddy the mix up slightly, but the vocals sound perfect and the drums have a lot of clarity, so they pop out appropriately and keep things in check. Other than giving the bass more of an identity I wouldn't really change much. The packaging is quite odd. I like the imagery and the arrangement of the layout, but the only non-lyrical text information is that this CD was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side. Well, whoopdee-fuckin'-doo! Who gives a shit? There's no contact information, no credits for the design, no band lineup... Squat! Sure, there's a website on the back, but what the hell!? Anyway... Lines like "Let me smear your makeup, let me break your porcelain face." and "I could be your suicide king, I could be your anything." Make me lose interest in the lyrics pretty quickly. There are some slightly humorous lines that make me crack a smile, but it's not really doing much for me in that department. But this is a far superior effort to their last record. It's not blowing me away, but it hints that this band could really do something a bit more original with a relatively stale genre, so... I'll keep an eye on them. (6/10)
Running time - 12:23, Tracks: 6
[Notable tracks: Revolver, Sell Yourself, Suicide King]
Ferret Music - http://www.ferretstyle.com

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