Album Type : EP
Date Released : 9/8/2013
Label : Red Moth Records
To Collapse In Absentia, track listing :
1). Wolves 11:12
2). Beyond The Wolves 05:52
3). Victims, Criminal, Lakes
& Rivers 04:09
4). Kali 06:54
The Band :
Drums |Shaun Hall
Keys | Josh McGrath
Guitars & Vocals | Stephen Barton
Bass | Shaun O'Shaughnessy
Drums on track #3 |Aaron Fisher
Additional Vocals track #2 | Aaron Fisher
Drums |Shaun Hall
Keys | Josh McGrath
Guitars & Vocals | Stephen Barton
Bass | Shaun O'Shaughnessy
Drums on track #3 |Aaron Fisher
Additional Vocals track #2 | Aaron Fisher
Review :
Progressive music is, by its nature, a temperamental beast. Its
typically untypical song structures and time signatures make it something which
can hit you differently depending on your mood. Ohio
To that extent, opening with an 11 minute track in Wolves is a bold move, but they have the character to pull it off. It’s sluggish pace is peppered with nuanced guitars and brooding piano and loud, aggressive movements are juxtaposed with lulling clean guitars across the songs long lifespan. The songs structure, which strays from formulaic patterns, opting instead for one with little repetition, the track, takes you on a journey. Yet, such is the intensity of the journey that sometimes it can be hard to listen to the entire song, its lack of resolve, of one key melodic theme often appears strikingly obvious.
Beyond the Wolves then, offers some respite. Driven by a grooving rhythm, it becomes a consistent undertone throughout the track, be it during the storm or the calm. This is a track that welcomes you back with its familiar groove while still taking you someplace else.
Across the years, bands like Yes, Dream Theater and Rush have shown that progressive rock can be catchy all the while maintaining those key aesthetics. While it is perhaps to compare a band still in their relative infancy with such revered and distinguished acts such as these, you are left wanting a bit more focus on hooks and melody.
That is not to say this band lacks the ability to write one, the album is peppered with them, but like on Wolves and Kali, when they do arrive, they are but a flash in the pan – like a glimpse of the villain in some horror film, it is gone to quickly, leaving questions still be to answered.
Close The Hatch is a good record, full of intricate musicianship, but it takes more than just being good at your instrument to get people to take notice. But if your mind-set leaves you craving for an odyssey in its darkest musical form, To Collapse In Absentia is a record worth latching onto.
To that extent, opening with an 11 minute track in Wolves is a bold move, but they have the character to pull it off. It’s sluggish pace is peppered with nuanced guitars and brooding piano and loud, aggressive movements are juxtaposed with lulling clean guitars across the songs long lifespan. The songs structure, which strays from formulaic patterns, opting instead for one with little repetition, the track, takes you on a journey. Yet, such is the intensity of the journey that sometimes it can be hard to listen to the entire song, its lack of resolve, of one key melodic theme often appears strikingly obvious.
Beyond the Wolves then, offers some respite. Driven by a grooving rhythm, it becomes a consistent undertone throughout the track, be it during the storm or the calm. This is a track that welcomes you back with its familiar groove while still taking you someplace else.
Across the years, bands like Yes, Dream Theater and Rush have shown that progressive rock can be catchy all the while maintaining those key aesthetics. While it is perhaps to compare a band still in their relative infancy with such revered and distinguished acts such as these, you are left wanting a bit more focus on hooks and melody.
That is not to say this band lacks the ability to write one, the album is peppered with them, but like on Wolves and Kali, when they do arrive, they are but a flash in the pan – like a glimpse of the villain in some horror film, it is gone to quickly, leaving questions still be to answered.
Close The Hatch is a good record, full of intricate musicianship, but it takes more than just being good at your instrument to get people to take notice. But if your mind-set leaves you craving for an odyssey in its darkest musical form, To Collapse In Absentia is a record worth latching onto.
Words by : Phil Weller
You can buy it here
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