By: Victor Van Ommen
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 24/06/2016
Label: Teepee Records
Using the word understated might be
the best way to sum up “Center of the Maze.” It’s this characteristic that
makes Comet Control so inviting. Whether it’s the warm distortion used, the
acoustic guitars deep in the mix, or how the light vocal delivery lays
comfortably on a soft bed of blissful psych, there’s enough to get lost in.
Comet Control struts a laissez-faire attitude with layered simplicity, which
absolutely works in the band’s favor.
“Center of the Maze” CD//DD//LP
track listing:
1.)
Dig Out Your Head
2.) Darkness Moves
3.) Silver Spade
4.) The Hive
5.) Criminal Mystic
6.) Golden Rule
7.) Sick in Space
8.) Artificial Light
2.) Darkness Moves
3.) Silver Spade
4.) The Hive
5.) Criminal Mystic
6.) Golden Rule
7.) Sick in Space
8.) Artificial Light
The Review:
Comet Control makes their intent clear pretty early on their
sophomore album “Center of the Maze.”
Coming at you with a heady sitar-like twang on the main riff, album opener “Dig Out Your Head” makes for a solid
send off into space. The second cut sends the listener even further into the
deep unknown, tumbling along with an urgent space rock drum roll accented by
expansive shoegaze riffing. Comet Control hangs
this spacey backdrop throughout these eight songs, providing a lush wash of
headphone-ready psychonauts as a result.
Using the word understated might be the best
way to sum up “Center of the Maze.” It’s
this characteristic that makes Comet Control so
inviting. Whether it’s the warm distortion used, the acoustic guitars deep in
the mix, or how the light vocal delivery lays comfortably on a soft bed of
blissful psych, there’s enough to get lost in. Comet Control
struts a laissez-faire attitude with layered simplicity, which absolutely works
in the band’s favor. Their tunes are laid back and far out. It’s how Comet Control combines these two qualities in their songs
that make their songs worth checking out.
The potential downside to “Center of the Maze” is that the album sounds as though Comet Control hasn’t brought everything they have to the
table. What “Center of the Maze”
offers is an album that’s not as far removed from the band’s 2014 debut as it
could have been. That Comet Control’s two
albums are sonically pretty close doesn’t detract from the level of quality
delivered with “Center of the Maze,”
it’s just that the short creative step between the two albums leaves this new
one feeling like there's more to be desired.
“Center of the Maze” is available here
Band info: facebook
