This Kentucky band is heavier than expected. The word grunge had been used to describe their sound. They brought to mind the kind of low, brooding vocals Alice Chains or Stone Temple Pilots used, not the kind of pained screaming Kurt Cobain threw himself into on "Bleach".There are more melodic sections even on the jarring opening track; they are just delivered in a more sludged-out noise rock fashion.
Vocalist March Phillips does sing more than scream on the second song, though his voice just carries a rasp to it that is not unlike Brian Johnson of AC/DC Phillips is just more depressed as he belts out songs more intended for accompanying a failed suicide attempt rather than a party. Whiskey is Kentucky's most notable export, so it might explain some of the grit in his vocal cords here.
Lyrically, things are bleak, and drugs seem to be part of the struggle here. Maybe that is what they meant by a grunge influence. There is more of a doom-leaning lumber to the overdriven stomp that sets "10- 56". They are sick and tired of most aspects of life on this album, which I deeply appreciate. "Alone' is about how it's worse to feel lonely with someone than lonely without them. It's another addiction they mention. "Break might carry the album's heavy rumble yet. Though when things accelerate into a more double bass hammering it veers a little more tha band's personalty. The few bars of almost black metal do not flow as well. I will give this album a 9.5, as it works more often than not, and finds the emotional outpouring here to be it's heaviest quality. Drops August 22nd on Third House Communications.
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