The Akron, Ohio-based four-piece Burn Blue Sky allege they're,
"generally sick of the state of modern/mainstream rock or 'nu-metal,'"
-
hmmm… one couldn't tell that by the sounds of the debut full-length's
opener, "Us", a song that immediately made me think "modern/mainstream
rock" (even before glancing at their bio and learning of their disdain
for said style) that wouldn't sound out of place at all on modern-day
radio – even with the growly vocals that come in towards the end of the
song (which, of course, are once again replaced by the safe, clean
vocal
stylings that came before). Also fitting in this "mainstream" category
is the following track, "The Activist", which starts out quite meekly
then gets some balls with the incorporation of more growls and tougher,
heavier instrumentation. And so on with the ensuing composition, the
dragging "Into Myself"…
Because this pattern keeps recurring, I'm quickly led to the conclusion
that what I'd really truly love to hear from these guys is more of the
death-metal sound that works so well in these songs, but found in
way-too-meager quantity here, rather than the clean, brooding vocals
and
unthreatening instrumentation that permeate BBS' material. Maybe I'm
just a glutton for full-on aggression, brutality, and ear-splitting
noise, (which I am) and these guys DO prove to be versed in at the odd
moment, but again, they don't tap into it nearly enough.
In the end, aficionados of extreme music genres (i.e. death/black
metal,
grind, doom) won't be moved by this debut LP, as they'll find much to
be
desired. However, fans of hard rock will most likely find
something to head-bang to here.
The Akron, Ohio-based four-piece Burn Blue Sky allege they're,
"generally sick of the state of modern/mainstream rock or 'nu-metal,'"
-
hmmm… one couldn't tell that by the sounds of the debut full-length's
opener, "Us", a song that immediately made me think "modern/mainstream
rock" (even before glancing at their bio and learning of their disdain
for said style) that wouldn't sound out of place at all on modern-day
radio – even with the growly vocals that come in towards the end of the
song (which, of course, are once again replaced by the safe, clean
vocal
stylings that came before). Also fitting in this "mainstream" category
is the following track, "The Activist", which starts out quite meekly
then gets some balls with the incorporation of more growls and tougher,
heavier instrumentation. And so on with the ensuing composition, the
dragging "Into Myself"…