Labels: Holidays – Shove – Sons Of Vesta
Review by: Oli Saunders
I didn’t really get into A Flower Kollapsed’s previous record Orsago – I kind of liked it but it didn’t really click with me. But after hearing this, I think I should go back and check it out again. Because after a few listens I am really into this.
Combining screamo and noise elements, is that a good idea? I want to call this post screamo but what a terrible name that would be. It seems people already use this term to describe bands like Envy though. Track one ‘Shelter’ kicks off ferociously, with fast instruments and high pitched screams. The guitar is all over the place, making this chaotic as fuck. It works though, and the song is all over pretty quick. Great start.
The next few tracks play in a similar sort of way, maybe a bit more relaxed than the opener in places. The third track ‘Ghost Chorus’ slows down halfway through before launching into a great ending – the screamed vocals are awesome here and the instruments hold everything together.
From this point on the tracks take a slightly different turn. There is a definite change as more noise elements are brought in. I call it noise, what I mean is that things get more experimental. Track four isn’t really a screamo track at all – things are slowed down a lot and there is only vocals for a bit of it. It’s still pretty good though.
Things get back to screamo on track five, though there is a noise like ending to things. The final two tracks are again quite experimental – there’s no vocals on the last track until the very end.
So in summary, this is a pretty innovative record. I personally prefer the early tracks as I like the screamo elements. These songs are really fucking good. I don’t like the later stuff as
much but I can still appreciate it, and maybe you guys who have less one dimensional music tastes will prefer it, who knows. I definitely think this record is worth checking out.
9th December 2008