Whoa, now this is unexpected and interesting. I guess this band is some sort of collaboration between members of Gaskill and the Medea Connection playing hard-hitting rock with a dark vibe, fronted by really unique vocals that remind me of Pete Stahl from Goatsnake, but a little higher and more rocked out. The singing is cool though, and the vocals have a natural reverb going on, as well as being often doubled/harmonized. "Hang your head." is catchier and more straightforward in a way, bordering on being upbeat in a strange sense, whereas "Kings make slaves." has some subtle punk influences and a little more melody that almost makes me think of a rocked out Misfits or something... and, come to think of it, there are some Danzig-isms happening here both musically and vocally (loosely). "Psalm" is more consistently "heavy" and somewhat sludgy, which is more of what I was expecting from this EP based on the aesthetics of the artwork. "Treadmill" is the most aggressive track, however, bringing in some driving basslines, more throaty vocals that lean towards yelling, and sinister chords that really jump at you. Awesome. This was recorded by Steve Albini, so expect a really natural set of tones with a pretty cohesive mix. The bass tone is pretty damn good, I just wish it was ever so slightly more prominent at all times. I like the way the guitars, vocals, and drums sound as well, but sometimes the guitars could be mixed closer together, and the vocals fluctuate in volume and lean out front sometimes. I personally think a fuller and more in your face sound could benefit these songs greatly, but I like the spaciousness they have going on as well, so... it's a tradeoff. The CD comes in a digipack that is, appropriately enough, made out to look like a tattered old hymnal, complete with a little bit of musical notation, some curious illustrations, etc. The actual disc is one of those deals with the clear edges, which looks great, but in general the overall aesthetic is well done. The lyrics are fucking great as well, creatively written in a suggestive manner that's not really clear-cut: "Awaken, you're christened, so crack yourself open. Work as you vanish with footsteps of poison. Bring to fruition the failure of victory. Stand here before us; the champion of failure. Walk with your virus, the pattern you're given. Yesterday's promise is tomorrow's perdition. Left foot, right foot." This is a bit of a schizophrenic EP as most of the tracks sound fairly different from one another and a lot of diverse atmospheres are created, which is cool, but I think this band could really hit the jackpot if they focused on the direction of "Treadmill.", because that song is seriously amazing.
[Traktor7]
Running time - 21:16, Tracks: 7
[Notable tracks: Hang your head., Treadmill.]
Traktor7 Records - http://www.traktor7.com
