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8 out of 10
Another 'Crystal' themed band, must be something in the water.
Given the name I was a tad surprised actually that these guys weren't an electro pop zeitgeist band - in fact they probably couldn't be further. Hailing from Long Beach California, Crystal Antlers unique sound is pretty refreshing. Essentially they're a prog band with all the attributes you would come to expect; Hammond organ, lashings of reverb, layers of guitar. All of which, I feel can sometimes result in, well, self-indulgence and boredom. Crystal Antlers do however manage to keep the energy throughout this 6 track self titled EP.
It simply doesn’t let up; the tracks bleed from one another with a relentless wall of noise. Opening track ’Until The Sun Dies (Part 2) sets the president from the offset that this isn't going to be an easy record starting with a crescendo of terror noise only then to die into a bass and keyboard and on into the album. This feel continues throughout, almost as if silence offends them. The album is a solid slab of genuinely good prog space-rock with a punk rock edge. It is therefore hard not to compare Crystal Antlers in some way to The Mars Volta. The breaks, the fills, production and the purpose feel the same - uncharted, refreshing and original.
I'd be very interest to hear a full length record from these guys as I'm not 100% certain that there's enough 'there', but this EP more than satisfies.
Listen: www.myspace.com/crystalantlers
Tracklist:
1. Until The Sun Dies (Part 2)
2. Vexation
3. A Thousand Eyes
4. Owl
5. Arcturus
6. Parting Song For The Torn Sky
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