Deep Elm Records are home to The Appleseed Cast and Athletics, fresh from out of New Jersey follow closely in the footsteps of their Kansas based label-mates.
Theirs is a heavy emo-meets-post-rock sound that prompts the press release to roll out a familiar check list of well-worn adjectives: "crystalline , soaring, cascading, pounding, pulsating".
This should make it obvious that nothing here is particularly original although the eleven songs are played with such intensity and conviction you're half inclined to overlook the derivatives.
The weak link lies in the vocals which are shared between guitarists Garrett Yaeger and Howie Cohen and bassist John Luby (two guest singers are also credited). This small team of singers are no match for the widescreen sound, to the point that you half wish they'd included more instrumentals.
The subtlety and relatively low key mood of the one lyric free track (Fairview) shows that they can achieve their stated aim of covering all the emotional bases without the need for vocal histrionics.
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The short,loud and misleadingly titled, Lullaby, is a notable exception but in general voices add little of note and mostly only serve as a irritating distraction.
The five-piece band are at their most epic and powerful when they go for the jugular and let rip with the full force of their tight-knit sound. The strident title track which opens the album is one of the highpoints that help make this a rousing and confident debut.
This should ensure they build a strong following among educated head-bangers.
Deep Elm Records Website
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