Thursday 27 August 2009

Review - Sights & Sounds - Monolith

Sights & Sounds - Monolith

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5 out of 10

You know when hardcore bands have done a couple of albums and actually learnt to play their instruments they usually stick one or two kinda post hardcore tracks on their next album just 'cos they're a bit bored of constantly playing three chords as fast as they possibly can, and those tracks are usually quite good in the context of the album 'cos they give you a break from the constant aggression and fit in well with the usually by this point more complex and interesting hardcore tracks? A bit like the last (or first, depending on whether or not you remember them as American Nightmare) Give up the Ghost album?

Well, imagine if a band (less good than Give up the Ghost) were to make a whole album of those songs. Would it sound a bit like a butcher .And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead or one of those bands the kids probably likes Thrice? Would you expect the hints of Deftones? Well that's what you get here, although it's not as bad as that probably makes it sound. There are some nice ideas here, and the slower songs in particular are quite good, even if they do drag on a bit sometimes - there's a nice sense of building atmosphere and impending doom, especially in some of the instrumental moments. But then there are moments (and tracks) that are quite frankly bland and dull, which is a shame because the good tracks would probably have made a really good EP.

Listen: www.myspace.com/sightsandsounds

Tracklist:
1. Sorrows
2. Shudder, St. Kilda
3. Storm &The Sun
4. The Clutter
5. Neighbours
6. The Furthest Truth
7. Pedal Against The Wind
8. Night Train
9. Reconcile
10. Borderlines
11. Subtle, Severe
12. Sorrows II
13. Pillars

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