Executioner's Mask : "Almost There"

Until the vocals came in the opening track of this band's new album sounded like they just stuck a mic in the middle of their rehearsal space and pressed record. The vocals come too forward in the mix and are in a baritone that sounds like it's at the bottom of his range so there is little room to project his voice. This is a deviation from the more dark wave or post-punk vibes of their previous work. However, shoe-gaze is not far removed from post-punk. There is more of a build and less of a drone on "Losing a Fixed Game". The vocals feel like they are more spoken here like a cryptic Ian Curtis. The guitars occupy a great deal of the sonic space and are less riff-oriented and more atmospheric chaos. 

This changes on "Mezcal Perfume" as the guitar feels like it is following a more structured path. Perhaps this is also due to the base coming up in a mix a bit. There is more of a woozy My Bloody Valentine sound to "Failed Dreams". The vocals are beginning to get stale and need to switch it up a bit, they almost feel like he is vocalizing to a different song. Sure there is a darker undercurrent even amid the shoe gaze, but the two sounds are not gelling here. Side note the album sounds much better through read phones than computer speakers. 

"Sunset in the Valley" continues down the path they began on the previous song. It is a dense wall of sound, but less songwriting than  A Place to Bury Strangers or Sonic Youth who are fair points of reference to the noise jam being kicked up here.. The first song that feels like it'[s going down a more post-punk hol is " A Modest Proposal".  The vocals mutter and wander more here. I had to give "Lovers in Hell"{ a second listen to fully digest.  It sounds like this one is the most rehearsed as the vocals fit more fully around it. They still jam some, and there is plenty of noise keeping things kinetic.The last song is noisier and less focused, which raises my point I often bemoan regarding bands being more int oa a sound than a song.  I will still give this album an 8, as I like what it is going for and appreciate the jamming spirit, though it's not something I am likely to give a great deal of repeat listens to. However, if live-sounding Shoe Gaze albums heavy on jamming and noise is something you are into then you will dig this album.  This album drops on August 30th on Seeing Red Records. 

pst325