This German band who takes their name from "Dune" could be pretty good, but I wouldn't know because I think this might be the worst production I have ever heard on a CD. I hate to say it, but this thing sounds so bad that I thought my headphones were broken for a minute. It's that fucked up. It sort of sounds like it was recorded on a decent 4-track and then the tape got wet or something. I don't know... it's totally wimpy. The vocals are loud as fuck, the incredibly thin and crispy guitars are right behind them, and then some muffled drum tones fumble around in the distance. Bass? If you can find it, let me know, because this recording needs it badly. I hate to be so critical, but with a mix this uneven, a sound this thin, and tones this weak, there's no way to properly judge this band's sound. I can't even tell what's going on half the time. It's basically melodic metalcore with scathing vocal screams, but there seem to be some other influences happening as well... but I can't concentrate on listening to the CD because it sounds very unprofessional. I can't imagine the band being satisfied with this. This is definitely a premature release. I don't know if it was a budgetary thing or what, but there's not really an excuse for putting out an EP that sounds like this... especially for a band of this nature. We're not talking about some sort of raw distorted punk or totally rugged black metal or something like that. I bet these guys listen to some black metal because some of the faster chord progressions definitely have that vibe going on, but they've got to nail down a better mix if nothing else. This stuff just falls flat on the floor... The clean guitars sound pretty good, that's about it. Everything else needs serious help. The layout isn't that bad, nor is it that exciting. The images are all photos of a blue light bulb (some intact, some shattered) with a few small black and white band photos and minimal text. The fonts are a bit plain, but it's just as well because all of the overlapping would be hard to read otherwise. I'm not that into the lyrics because they just seem a little bit awkward and don't make a great deal of sense all the time: "Subconscious, Not perceptible, A voice behind the voice, Too far for you, What you hear, And what you can see, Projected, What lies beneath..." Sorry, Muad'Dib... but I can't lie, this record sounds like shit. A thicker, clearer, more efficient mix would completely change the dynamic of these songs, so... that's something to think about next time.
[Beniihana]
Running time - 18:16, Tracks: 5
[Notable tracks: Broken Blood]
Beniihana Records - http://www.beniihanarecords.com
