Thursday 31 July 2008

Review - The Arusha Accord - Nightmares Of The Ocean

The Arusha Accord - Nightmares Of The Ocean

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6 out of 10

It's a good job that Sikth have just split up, because it means that people should see this EP as a homage rather than blatant plagiarism. Weird, constantly changing time signatures, lurching bass lines, even two singers yelping and screeching in amongst the insanity. It's enough to make any intellectual property lawyer go ahead and buy that second yacht.

There are a few things that should save them from the courts though, such as the greater sense of melody, with quieter and more straightforward sections cropping up throughout, even going so far as using harmonised vocals at certain points. Don't think these bits make the listen any easier though, as the band still dive back into discord at a moment's notice. Think the more recent Dillinger Escape Plan material, or the bits when Faith No More decided they didn't actually hate everybody (I assume these are the reference points the band were going for, but at some points I just couldn't stop thinking that the vocals were somewhat reminiscent of Lostprophets).

Unfortunately, these more restrained sections have come at the price of volume and straightforward aggression. If this was a cut and paste job, they seem to have missed out those bits where Sikth would drop the pretentiousness, settle into a groove and just allow you to bang your head, if only for 10 seconds at a time. That was where Sikth were fun, and while these guys are obviously very talented, I just don't seem to be smiling as much as I could be.

Listen: www.myspace.com/thearushaaccorduk

Tracklist:
1. The New Face Of Revenge
2. Death Of Thieves
3. Solstice
4. Nightmares Of The Ocean
5. Night Of The Long Knives

5 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

a ridiculous review. if you think the arusha accord are a rip off, or even a 'homage' to sitkh, then you shouldnt be writing reviews on this genre of music. you're clearly completely out of your depth! stick to metalcore mate

sikth themselves have even come out and praised what the arusha accord are doing, and if you'd done any research, or even been on their myspace, you'd know that!

now that sikth have broken up (RIP), the arusha accord are flying the flag for british tech metal. we should be supporting them, not trying to put them in a box or drag them down.

Anonymous said...

i totally agree.

sure, there are obvious similiarites between them and sikth, and to the un-educated ear, they sound similar at times.

but anyone who knows anything about this genre will tell you that the arusha accord and sikth have a completely different approach to tech metal.

to accuse them of plagerism is disgusting!

the arusha accord are an exciting new band, which huge potential. i can't wait to hear more from them!

ProgBass said...
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ProgBass said...

Ive seen these guys live. Tight as hell, and a mad stage show! They're also really nice guys. Ive also seen Sikth live. They're nothing like each other. The muppet who wrote this review basically accuses them of plagerism and then suggests that they could be better by having more groove like Sikth do. Why would they put more Sitkh groove in when they're not trying to be Sikth? a joke of a review. like markc said, stick to metalcore mate!