(mini-review)It's tricky reviewing something that no one has ever heard of. You've got to do it justice, whether you like it or not. I'm torn on this one, which makes the whole process even harder. On one hand, I'm proud of the fact that a reasonably cool "power groove" band hails from North Carolina. The local stuff around here isn't very appetizing. Conversely, 1994's Trials and Tribulations (the group's last recording) is deeply flawed. The arrangements are repetitive, and the shouted vocals grate my eardrums. This is an amateurish album. I mean that in the most loving of ways, of course.
On the upside, this disc is full of calculated rhythms and riffs that are heavier than thou. There are lots of bits and pieces that work really well, but the sporadic highlights come at the expense of coherent songwriting. The songs themselves are fragmented patchworks that rattle on for too long. This isn't proggy, atmospheric music, yet all of the tracks clock in at over five minutes. It's overkill, even if parts of the whole are tightly woven. Genre-wise, Seducer specializes in Pantera-style thrash. I got a Pissing Razors vibe from several of the songs. That's definitely a compliment. By the way, whatever happened to Pissing Razors?
I haven't mentioned any specific tunes because...eh, nothing stands out. It pains me to give a mediocre rating to a local band with such promise, but I can't bang my head to promise. Great cover art, though. These guys need to get back together, shake off the rust, and write the killer record that I know they're capable of writing.
No comments:
Post a Comment