Graphic Nature : "Who Are You When No One is Watching? "

 

This is the second time I have given this British band a chance. I reviewed their last album "A Mind Waiting to Die". My complaint was they were basically a Slipknot tribute without the masks. I stumbled across them again looking for new industrial albums, I am not sure how people confused this with industrial music. This is more interesting and song-focused than their previous album. The metal core elements are in place as well, but there are elements of a more melodic atmosphere on songs like "Human" which feels like they are making more of an effort. They are sonically not too far removed from what Knocked Loose does. This feels especially true in "Something I'm Not".

There is a more rap metal groove to "Breathe". The songwriting is either more refined or this sort of thing is something I've built a tolerance to. After an instrumental interlude "NFA" comes crashing down. It packs a punch, with energy you might admire, though not much in terms of hooks. "Fractured' is only a little more nuanced with the emphasis on the crunching guitars. It goes into a riff with more of a breakdown feel. "Low" Reminds you of how new metal evolved from hardcore. They need to expand some of the ambient touches and give the pounding guitars something to contrast them. To their credit, they never sound British. 

There are touches of breakbeats in the periphery of "To The Grave". But more often than not it's more of the same ole same ole. The same can be said of the title track. He needs to do more with the softer whisper voice that breaks things up on the title track,. They keep coloring the songs with too many of the same colors. The last song has a decent groove, but there is not a wild departure from what they have been doing for the bulk of the album., I think if they tap into the elements needed this band might have a great album in them, perhaps the best is yet to come. This time they have refined what they do, and focused more on songs than a sound, which is what I wanted from them last time so I will give this album an 8. 

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