 | Tracklist:
1. Lights
2. Justification of an Old Man
3. Ghost Limb
4. Wagering Life
5. Sleep
6. Instrumental
7. Save Yourself
| Ranking: #142 for 2011 | |
| | other reviews | Lucidity (4)
A vocal performance not to be missed.... |
On 34 Lists
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10 of 10 thought this review was well written
Edmonton based emo act Mahria has quite a lot of hurdles to overcome. With such a large number of hardcore outfits popping out of the woodwork these days-each more derivative than the last-it’s tough to stand out amongst the crowd. Sure, sure, passion goes a long way and such, but few bands can truly capture the attention of an entire scene, of which is conducive to “underground” outfits that seemingly flare up only to disappear relatively quickly. Mahria is decidedly different. Not only does the band have a penchant for crafting powerful and expressive tunes, but they make it all seem so effortless. Their latest release, and proper “debut,” is an exemplary display of why Mahria has so much to offer, and why listeners should really pay attention to a band that is fully capable of becoming the “next big thing.”
Releasing a split on top of their S/T Cassette, and playing various well received shows around the Edmonton area, Mahria hasn’t been around all that long. Regardless, they’ve garnered a fair amount of attention, namely for their female vocalist, Corby Burnett. Now the word “gimmicky” pops into mind, as bands with female leads tend to become known as “a band with a girl screamer,” and sadly it can often define their existence. An unfortunate label for sure, but Mahria has more than enough skill and musicianship to overcome any distractions, especially the gender bias.
S/T Cassette is a bit derivative at times, following the glut of Loma Prieta/Ampere inspired emo outfits that have become rather common these days, but it truly has enough freshness and originality to stand on its own. Listing genre darlings such as Orchid, Kidcrash, and Yaphet Kotto as veritable influences, Mahria has an incredibly diverse sound that ranges from intense, caustic hardcore a la Ampere, to a more “twinkly” and dreamy sound found in bands such as Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) and The Exploration. The instrumentation is dead on, with the guitarists displaying a respectable amount of technical prowess, while Burnett simply stuns as a vocalist. Her delivery is a furious amalgamation of passion and anger; a bold performance that proves that she has more than enough gall to stand tall next to even the most impressive of vocalists in the scene. The two guitarists play fast and chaotically, but the ways in which they play off of each other is exceptional. Never once do they buckle under the constantly shifting time changes, always keeping things interesting.
Mahria is an absolutely solid band, but this is only a part of what makes it such a great group of musicians. Each of the record’s seven tracks is candidly excellent. From the captivating opening guitar lines of “Lights,” to the last hellish explosion in “Save Yourself,” S/T Cassette is full of astonishing moments. “Justification of an Old Man” displays the uncontained, more chaotic aspects of the band’s sound, with short explosions in between minor reprieves. “Ghost Limb” is unlike the previously mentioned track in that it comes across as more laid-back, but still retains the oppressively heavy atmosphere. There is a tremendous amount of diversity contained within S/T Cassette’s 17 minute runtime, and it is all the more incredible for it.
Of all the up and coming groups out there, Mahria is definitely one that can, and should succeed. Full of passion and ingenuity, the band’s debut feels more genuine than just about any other release this year. S/T Cassette is a marvel; a powerful debut that shows the evocative and visceral nature of a band that truly deserves all the praise and attention they can get.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4
Ugh this is like my 5th "4" in a row. I need to listen to better or worse music.
Also, thanks to Aids and TheRev for bringing this to my attention. It's all I've been listening to lately.
Digging: Suis La Lune - Riala Digging: Suis La Lune - Riala | | |
Crud, I was going to do a write-up for this one.
Good review. She sounds like a female version of Bannon to me.
Digging: Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials Digging: Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
I only found out about it since I'm friends with the bass player from Todos Caeran (band they did the split with)
Great review, as usual man. This rules so hard
Digging: Jam City - Classical Curves Digging: Jam City - Classical Curves | | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
good review man, glad you decided to write something for it
I cannot get enough of this.
Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned | | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
I like everybody's dig
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
haha, nice
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Only comment I would make is that you (and indeed, all of us) should be careful with the superlatives: words like "incredible", "truly", and "absolutely" mean next to nothing outside of our own heads, and rarely do anything to advance the quality of a review. But that's sort of splitting hairs.
Solid work Chino; pos =)
Digging: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Digging: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
| | | Album Rating: 4
Thanks guys. And yeah Irv, I ry and fluff up my reviews a bit, I am incredibly, absolutely, and truly guilty ; )
I shall indeed work on it, thanks!
| | | Album Rating: 4
Oh and the band posted this on their facebook and I fucked up the vocalist's name. Hopefully it's fixed now : /
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I'm the one that showed them it.
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Oh and the band posted this on their facebook and I fucked up the vocalist's name. Hopefully it's fixed now : /
Someone's going places with their writing! =)
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This is an awesome album. Really good review!
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I need to hear this
great review!
Digging: Walknut - Graveforests And Their Shadows Digging: Walknut - Graveforests And Their Shadows
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I'm from Edmonton...maybe I should actually go to a show of theirs.
| | | Album Rating: 3
So good, love it.
Digging: Egyptian Art Strike - Egyptian Art Strike Digging: Egyptian Art Strike - Egyptian Art Strike | | |
It just hit me, the lead singer pierced my ears. kool.
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I saw Ali's review but somehow missed yours =/ I'm late to the party, but very solid review, bud! Keep up the great work.
Digging: Between the Buried and Me - Colors Digging: Between the Buried and Me - Colors
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
"I'm the one that showed them it."
what?
a) even if that was true, who cares?
b) that's not true.
c) you're weird.
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What..... This isn't really Sputnik screamo at all, I'm shocked it got not one, but two reviews lol. I only saw the review because of their facebook page.
If you guys enjoy this you need to check out Ravachol and Suffix. Racachol's vocalist is pretty similar to Mahria's, and Suffix had a split with Beau Navire which is absolute proof of quality.
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"I'm the one that showed them it."
what?
a) even if that was true, who cares?
b) that's not true.
c) you're weird.
I posted the link to their facebook page. Deal with it.
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