Friday 3 April 2020

ALBUM REVIEW: Homecoming, "LP01"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 01/12/2019
Label: Independent





“LP01” CD//DD track listing:

1). Planeswalker
2). Rivers of Crystal
3). Interlude
4). Return
5). Five


The Review:

I'm not one to stand up and shout against the oppression of genre based music in metal. Genres serve their purpose, allowing us to neatly organize and place artists we'll want to listen to together tidily. Sometimes it's nice for things to fit well into a box. Still though, there is something to be said for those few artists that truly cannot be labeled. A band so diverse in its offerings that it simply cannot fit neatly into any of those boxes. Homecoming place themselves firmly into this category.

With tonal notes falling in every far corner of the musical spectrum,”LP-01” is certain to have something for everyone.  These three folks come together in what can only be described as perfect harmony.  Mixing elements of Stoner Rock and Technical Death Metal from members previous projects, Homecoming is an interesting little experiment in the collision of musical worlds. 

Guitars reach from tripped out acid riffs to full on metal mayhem with sneaky hints of jazzy melodies and chicken picked twang strewn throughout for good measure. Drums are masterfully crafted throughout these five tracks, fluidly shifting from destructive blast beats to swinging grooves.  A highlight of the album for sure, this is one of the most talented and eclectic drummers I've heard in a very long time.  A very musical bass sits comfortably in the mix, admirably holding down the low end and providing a very solid ground for the rest of the band to stand on.

Opening track “Planeswalker” offers up some beautiful diversity,  serving as the perfect thesis for what is to come.  With rocking riffs and soaring vocal melodies, this one is sure to satisfy any desert rocker while providing without pigeon holding itself into any one category.  Harder hitting while still well rounded is “Rivers of Crystal”, really showcasing the eclectic grooves in the drum work.  An instrumental interlude comes next, offering what I will only describe as the single greatest track in the long and inconsistent history if songs named “Interlude”. “Return” leans a bit heavier into desert rock, though with a band this diverse that is an admittedly trivial classification. Putting the vocal range on display, “Return” let's every member really spread out, to wonderful effect. The album closes out with the perfect conclusion in “Five”. An all-out jam with heavy riffs, Pink Floyd style leads and a sound that plays hopscotch with genre boundaries.

The debut album from this French trio offers up a taste of what I'm sure will be an amazing career. With such a wide array of sonic variations presented on “LP-01”, I honestly cannot imagine what will come next from Homecoming, but I sure can't wait to find out.

“LP01” is available HERE



Band info: bandcamp || facebook