Hmmm, I had no idea what to expect from this, but it's very interesting. A good blend of discordant and emotional indie rock with hardcore/punk out of Holland (though the vocalist is/was in the US), so there's a lot of harsh screaming, a little bit of singing, and musical arrangements that blend jarring chords, angular rhythms, and intense melodies. There are a lot of strong dynamic shifts in the compositions as things build up and sink back down with clean guitars changing over into distortion, and the basslines play a large role in weaving between the drums and guitars. There's a lot of different interaction between the instruments happening, and that works out great. A lot of times I'm not really into these styles, but this band writes excellent songs, that's the bottom line. It makes a huge difference the way they control the caustic elements with the melodies and piece everything together, and the vocals aren't over the top screams that get irritating, they too add to the energy of the compositions. "Broadway" is an absolutely amazing song... the perfect closer for this EP. The sound is a little thin, but it works. I definitely think a slightly cleaner or smoother sound could help them, but I have no real complaints. The bass is very prominent, the drums sound natural and really crisp, the guitars aren't overly distorted or harsh, and the vocals are very well handled. I think the evenness of the mix benefits them for sure. The fact that it's on vinyl is probably adding a little bite to the treble anyway, so I think it sounds okay for their delivery. The record comes in a matte black sleeve with text spraypainted onto it with a stencil in red and white, hand-numbered out of 500 copies on the back flap. Inside is a sticker and a xeroxed insert with a few band photos and lyrics. The content is pretty suggestive, but also open, which I enjoy as well: "Live inside this box, no expression. No way out but sleep. Compressed a million dreams. Can't wait when nothing lasts. Do you believe in me?" This is a great record. The packaging does leave a little something to be desired, but I understand the whole D.I.Y. thing, and musically this speaks for itself. I'd love to hear more from this band if they're even still around?
[Spacement]
Running time - 13:00 (approximately), Tracks: 4
[Notable tracks: The Song Called _____, Broadway]
Spacement Records - http://www.spacementreno.com
