Review by: Kunal Nandi
When I first heard this, I was all over it like a fly on shit. The “Neurosis crossed with Helmet” comparisons being bandied about by the monthlies with gay abandon do give you some vague idea as to where Red Stars Parade are coming from. The songs can be lengthy, drawn out, slow with an artistic edge, yet they are also intrinsically straightforward at heart, proficiently and tightly played, without ever spinning out into anything too excessively unnecessary.
What you’re most definitely NOT told is that there is an almost totally pure, diamond hardness about this entire album, those crystal-clear monolithic riffs positively slamming into each other like fucking icebergs, the thrumming bass vibrating your ribcage and massaging your guts in an enjoyably unbearable way, the tortured vocals torturing you in turn. With the passing of time, the honeymoon has worn off a little though, the simple approach calling the longevity into question, but I’m definitely still digging it. There is already new material ready to roll, and I can’t wait, as for a debut full-length release, this is stunning stuff.