Labels: Protagonist – Through Love Records – Zegema Beach
Review by: constant
These guys hail from Sweden and share members with suis la lune (euro screamo from the early/mid 00s that evolved into something huge for some reason) and they have just released this new 12″. I’m reviewing this based on the digital version they (or their label) sent in for review. The cover looks well done and very professional, reminiscent of the later suis la lune releases or recent deathwish stuff. If that is a good thing or not it’s up to you to decide.
Now on to the actual music! When the demo came out about 5 years ago, I quite liked their sound: it was something like an updated high energy version of the pine, with matching raw sound. The fast drum beats over the wall-of-soundish guitars with some dude wailing over it was quite akin of that first pine LP. I refuse to believe they have not stolen their name from the pine tune. Then the LP came out and it was an update of that sound, polished around the edges (heavily polished I might add).
This album here veers a bit more towards the suis-la-lune-playing-shoegaze sound they have been hinting at. The guitars sound very very similar to suis la lune expect when they are doing their quietly strumming atmospheric thing. It reminds me of bands such as ride or lush, but with more energy. Nevertheless, I find the songs to sound quite samey, and there is not much telling them apart other than the occasional change in the dynamics. The vocals get on my nerves after a while.
If you always thought the pine should have gotten into an actual studio and listen to more shoegaze, this might be just up your alley! However, I much preferred the rough energy and more exciting song writing of their demo and first LP.