Friday, November 18, 2011

WITHOUT WAVES - Scab Platter CD review


WITHOUT WAVES - Scab Platter CD
Self Released
Genre: Post Hardcore/Post Metal
Rating: 4/5

Releases like this one try my soul. Not that there's anything bad about what this Chicago four piece act are doing on here. It's just that it's not my type of extreme head damaging sounds which I'm a fan of. I know a few people who do but they won't review anything for me because they hate writing or can't write and damm them for it. So that leaves me like a blind man with a blind dog roaming through a minefield. As always I do the best I can which means I'll listen to this four or five times and that will be it because like I said I don't care for this style of music. As far as I can see WITHOUT WAVES has a sound and fury which is not far from what that band DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN does. It's pure insanity like on "Tradition of Fear" or the title cut with neck snapping twists and hang on for your life tempo changes all confined by tight musicianship which is bent towards progressive noodling. They're like the core of a nuclear reactor with guitars and drums if that makes any sense. It probably doesn't and if a friend of mine, who just so happens to be a nuclear engineer, reads that last line he'll probably laugh his ass off.

Obviously these guys come from a Metalcore/Thrashcore background as well, their song "The Way To Crash and Burn" is a good example, but chose to stand shoulders above most of those knuckle draggers. I don't mean that in a bad way of course. I've been to a few shows with a Metalcore band on the bill and watched some people dance. They do drag their knuckles across the floor along with some wild kick moves that they didn't learn at the dojo. Along with this band's technical ability and moments of groove they have a singer/screamer who, what I consider, has that cliche dinosaur vocal style. It's that throaty roar that you hear the T-Rex do in all those Jurassic Park movies. Once in a while he, Anthony Cwan is his name and he also plays guitar, will throw in a clean soft toned vocal (more on that in a few) but most of the time it's the T-Rex roar. I'm surprised these types of singers don't also do voice over work as dinosaur sound-alikes in movies or in anime. They could use the extra money to fund their whole recording budgets. Finally there's the off the wall surprises like the shoegaze influenced cuts “Dhyana” and "Sativa Sunrise" which proves that they're not just a bunch of technically proficient meatheads who can brutalize a crowded hall full of backwards worn baseball capped yahoos. They can slow down a bit, noodle around in a progressive nuance manner and add those softer toned whispered vocals while everyone catches their breath.

Hey look what do I know about this genre. After finishing this write-up I'm gonna settle down with a few shots of bourbon and play some nice non-family friendly Black Metal by a Brazilion band with the word 'goat' in their name. At the same time this band is probably packing a club in Chicago because they're considered the greatest thing since sliced bread and people are willing to kill, kill I say, to see em live plus buy a long sleeve t-shirt from their merch table. It is the windy city so you need the sleeves. By the time they read this (and laughing about it) they will probably be signed and maybe ink a tour deal that has them doing next summer's Euro-Festival tour opening up for LAMB OF GOD, who I did see back in their club days when they were still BURN THE PRIEST. If all of this sounds good to you then check this band out.


Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/withoutwavesmusic


Official: http://www.reverbnation.com/withoutwaves


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