Review Summary: Interloper cement themselves as early journeymen.
Take a look at
Search Party’s artwork for a second. A lone figure carving into a rock on the edge of the world. It’s as if if Interloper’s debut stands alone, a figure of solidarity in a world itching to get away from the mundane tonality of dime-a-dozen metalcore acts, yearning for whatever chance of individuality that
could be on offer for those brave few ready to stand resolute and away from the masses. One step too far and you’ve fallen off the earth to unimaginable depths...never to be seen again. It’s an unlikely scenario - for the genre itself is as recycled as the world’s drinkable water supplies (you guys know fish pee’d in that right?), but Interloper tries to pioneer a new sense to the wider metalcore niche, and yet
Search Party is a miss on innovation and a hint at the subtle comprehensiveness to which the genre has become known.
That’s a little sweeping, sure, but it’s the sort of generalization that allows listeners access to the wider picture - use it as a gateway if you will.
Search Party is a busy record. A listener could pick any burgeoning track as it flies by and notice it’s chock full of melody and virtuosity, often delivered at a breakneck pace. Interloper continues down the path set by their EP (released earlier this year), with mixed results.
The album’s opener, “Pathkeeper” launches a steady riff, a flurry of whirling notes and steadily climbing melody frames. Similarly, “Bound to Fall” and “Moonlight” trade proficiency with equal parts pleasing aesthetics. It’s hard to sit here and describe just how these tracks would introduce such a middling album and yet, it’s more of the same for the better part of fifty-five minutes. All the early signs look good for Interloper’s debut full-length, but
Search Party’s flaws aren’t a result of playing ability. Andrew Virrueta’s soaring vocals are often exquisite, a juxtaposition to the man’s more visceral growls, but are challenged by the band’s instrumental efforts. While backed by fellow stringster Miles Dimitri Baker (ex-Rings of Saturn), his vocals are often attacked by a wall of bombastic sound. For every soaring verse line or gorgeous vocal hook there’s a surging of notes from the guitars, taking away any discernible breathing space a listener
would likely appreciate. Couple this with a drum effort that seamlessly jumps from tapping cymbal fills to oppressive blast beats and it’s a wonder that we can hear Andrew’s majestic cleans at all.
Early pre-release singles showed some of the band’s penchant for sensationalized antics, “Drift” in particular defines the ultimate progressive metal track on its own, but in the context of a single track amongst similarly dressed peers it becomes lost in an absolute wall of sound. That’s not to undersell Interloper as a band. These guys are
clearly talented, but
Search Party’s larger portrait is
too full, its density simply offers too much in the way of digestible music, repeated to the nth degree. The production, under the tutelage of Andrew’s brother Joey, doesn’t fully encompass the heights to which the band aims for. Ramping everything up in hopes of squeezing every sense of atmosphere out of the overall mixing. Put short, it’s a little too ambitious across the board. The album’s title track also hints at the soaring reaches of Leprous fame while providing ample, soaring anthems. It’s as close to a highlight as this album’s likely to get.
That said, I don’t just want to sit here and tear apart that ambition. For Interloper’s debut has impressive, if somewhat fleeting, moments. Already mentioned is Virrueta’s vocal delivery, but too soon is the rambunctious drum work of Aaron Stechauner about to be overlooked. While the fast tempo found within
Search Party’s make up was never to be questioned, Aaron’s style adds uncontained amounts of energy, while keeping the music itself unapologetically
heavy combining the tech-heaviness of the death metal genre while showing enough restraint to allow the group’s more proggier, metalcore elements
some space. His massive effort isn’t enough to push this debut to the heights, but it would be criminal to ignore what is a premiere effort on a head-turning release. If Interloper can take the abundance of talent on offer here (something they have in spades) and tame it, mold it and give it the proper room to breathe,
Search Party 2.0 has the potential to truly make waves.
In erring to the sides of positivity (this is a debut after all) I’ve come to realize I can be excited by modern music within this niche. Interloper aren’t trying to pave a new direction to which other acts can follow, instead they’re simply trying to forge their own sounds, their own way.
Search Party may not be strictly memorable in the way the band would like, but as a foundation to more music down the track...well, we won’t need to send out a
search party, Interloper will forever be on the metal radar.
