By: Charlie Butler
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 21/12/2018
Label: Corpse Flower Records |
Throatruiner Records |
Init Records
…the band have
expanded their sonic horizons to cover new levels of punishing heaviness. Jagged shards of damaged post-hardcore now
give way to crushing low-end riffs like a collision between KEN Mode and “Remission”
era Mastodon
“A Sense Of Rest” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. The Accelerationist
2. Not-For-Sale Bodies
3. Kettle Logic
4. We Speak In Lowercase
5. Thousands Every Hour
6. Baldessari Height
7. I Go To Glory
8. Scratched Off The Canvas
The Review:
Great Falls decided to throw Album of 2018 lists into disarray with the late December
release of the monstrous “A Sense Of Rest”. The Seattle trios last LP “The
Fever Shed” was a taut thirty minutes of barbed noise rock fury. In the
three years since its release, the band have taken their furious back catalogue
as a foundation and crafted an expansive beast of an album.
“The Accelerationist” wastes no time introducing the listener to Great
Falls in full flow with an onslaught of
razor sharp guitar, pounding drums and churning bass. It soon becomes apparent
that the band have expanded their sonic horizons to cover new levels of
punishing heaviness. Jagged shards of
damaged post-hardcore now give way to crushing low-end riffs like a collision
between KEN
Mode and “Remission” era Mastodon. “Not-For-Sale Bodies” continues the barrage, culminating in a
lumbering finale that demonstrates how much weightier “A Sense Of Rest” is
compared to previous offerings.
The highlight here is the monumental fifteen minute centrepiece, “We Speak In Lowercase”. It feels
simultaneously like Great Falls
unleashing all they have achieved to this point in one slow-burning epic and a
huge leap into the unknown. The opening sections are unexpectedly melodic,
delivered with a restraint and vulnerability that bring to mind Kowloon Walled
City's amazing
“Grievances”
LP. Demian Johnston's
vocals are at their most affecting here, from an exposed despairing howl at the
beginning of the track building to an imploring scream at its climax. As the
band dynamics move between quiet and loud, the tempos shift accordingly leading
to a stirring slow-motion coda of shimmering reverb-heavy distortion.
It's as if Great Falls
anticipated the state of awe the mind-expanding “We Speak In Lowercase” would leave the listener in by following it
with “Thousands Every Hour”. The
opening minute or so of screeching feedback followed by a skipped groove, one
chord riff brings you back down to earth with a dose of punk rock urgency.
“A Sense Of Rest” is an incredible release
from Great Falls.
A perfect blend of ragged noise rock, devastating riffs, dark melody and
ambitious songwriting, this LP should earn them some well-deserved
attention.
“A Sense Of Rest” is available (LP USA) HERE,
(LP Europe) HERE and
CD HERE
Band info: bandcamp || facebook
