Veritas Vinyl has paired two very different groups on this split 7”. Not only are they very different in origin with Glower hailing from North Dakota and To Leave a Trace from the Ukraine, but musically they are very different as well. Glower bring a sound from the 1990’s alternative scene and To Leave A Trace opts to pummel the listener with screamo-metalcore.
Glower is a new project featuring Josh Silbernagel (ex-Hands) and ex-Solar Systems members Sean Murray and Ryan Veitch. Influences cited by the band include many alternative bands from the 1990’s including Smashing Pumpkins, Bleach, Hum, and others. This influence is readily apparent in the song Spectra, which sounds as if it wouldn’t have been out of place if it was released during that 1990’s alternative era. Although not cited as an influence, my first thought after hearing the song before I knew anything about the band was Stone Temple Pilots, which fits nicely with band’s influences. Even at the first listen, I felt as if I’d heard this song before, it had that familiar feel to it, like a song you’ve heard on the radio over and over, and that’s why I think I didn’t like it. Production quality and mixing are both excellent and the song even has the feel of those songs from the 1990’s, so if you are looking for some guitar-driven alternative/hard rock that sounds like 1990’s alternative bands, Glower is a band you should check out.
Written by John Jackson
Rating: 5/10
Tracklist:
1) Spectra
Band Members:
Josh Silbernagel – Vocals, Guitar, Drums
Ryan Veitch – Guitar
Sean Murray – Guitar, Bass
Record Label: Veritas Vinyl, 2012
Weblinks: Website / Bandcamp / Facebook
Granted, I’m not an expert, but I’m pretty sure there are not too many female-fronted scream-metalcore bands out there, let alone ones from the Ukraine, making To Leave a Trace somewhat unique. To Leave a Trace formed in 2007 and released their first album Fight Your Evil Side in 2009 and followed that up with the ep Boatman is the Hero in 2011. In between the two releases, TLAT played a number of European and Ukraine festivals and recorded in Poland and has since gone on to tour all over Eastern Europe even reaching up to Finland.
The song Against the Flow wastes no time generating intensity, it starts from the very beginning in a manner reminiscent of Norma Jean and the Chariot. Driving drums, odd time changes, chorus parts with clean singing are all elements of the genre you’d expect and they are all present in Against the Flow. What I didn’t expect was a somewhat extended melodic section with clean vocals shouted and on the verge of screaming but not quite crossing that threshold. Pleasantly, there were no breakdown sections in the song and the intensity in the vocals and driving nature of the music don’t let up. Lyrically, the song is a call to go Against the Flow and not become indifferent and float along with what the world would want you to believe. Definitely piqued my interest.
Written by John Jackson
Rating: 8/10
Tracklist:
1) Against the Flow
Band Members:
Oksana Bugayova: vocals
Artur Vashchuk: drums
Yaroslav Bebko: guitar
Bodyk Alexieiev: bass
Record Label: Veritas Vinyl, 2012
Weblinks : Official website / Facebook / Myspace / Bandcamp