Sextile
A Thousand Hands
August 21 2015 (Felte)
7/10
Words: Alison Mack
Taking their name from an astrological term, new LA noise punks Sextile must be hoping the stars are aligned in their favour for this, their album debut. And they settle down to how the whole record much progresses right from the opening title track.
The lead off, ‘A Thousand Hands’ - which apparently arose via guitarist/keyboardist Eddie Wuebben’s vision of thousands of hands reaching out for him whilst engaged in a spirit-channelling experiment - is a doom-laden cacophony of ominous guitars that ride alongside rippling synths and military-like drums that ere to the side of industrial; while one of the record's three highlights, ‘Can’t Take It’, pays it's dues to the band's post-punk side in a sub-three-minute frantic track of propulsive beats and shattering synths.
Of other standouts, 'Visions of You' and 'Into The Unknown' make for Joy Division darkness on sharp-edged intense riffs that are backed up with reverb and the smooth rendition of airy synth lines.
And here we have both the good and not-so-good points for this album. If it were an EP of say, four or five tracks, we would he left in no doubt of wanting to hear more. However, when it comes to a full eleven tracks-worth, all very much keyed to the same level, its lack of diversity starts to show and by halfway through it's becoming all too similar to hold interest.
No comments:
Post a Comment