Labels: self released
Review by: Oli Saunders
It seems that tapes and CDrs have become very much a niche interest over time even in the world of DIY punk. Running a distro as I do, I’ve found it very difficult to shift much in this way at all. In fact I started the distro with the main intention to do this for obscure bands, but found over time that it is simply not practical. Yet it still delights me that bands can put so much effort into constructing amazing packages for their recordings, for just a few people who care to enjoy. Ravachol contain people who know a thing or two about screenprinting and such like and this demo looks absoutely stunning.
The music ain’t bad either. Female fronted emo/screamo, with whispers, sung desperation and borderline screams going on. Totally something that makes me sit back and take it all in even while my first signs of jadedness towards screamo start to form. Apparently influenced somewhat by Snoras, James Dean, Quiet Steps and Lukestar, you know this lot have also spent many afternoons listening to classic screamo bands like Orchid. The outcome is a pretty original one, to be fair its probably largely due to the female vocals – how many UK female fronted bands of this genre have there ever even been?
The main thing that annoys me about this demo are the guitar and bass. It’s a difference of opinion I know, as members of this band are in other bands that have guitars that sound similar (Kasa? Crocus?) – I know they love that sound – but it just seems to be going through the motions. I can’t really explain more than that and I won’t dwell on it much further. The Australian and French jangly guitar sounds sound amazing to me while this just lacks something…? Five songs and they all fly by, four being around the two minute mark. I’m sure this will come well across live too. At the three minute mark on the last song you know the epic finale is coming but it is accomplished with aplomb. A solid start to things.
27th May 2011