Review Summary: there is hope for every kid in Saetia shirt silently discontent with the stream of new wave "screamo" that has become oh so popular in the 2010's.
Gillian Carter if anything is a prolific band without question. First formed in 2005 , Vocalist/Guitarist Logan Rivera has kept the band alive to this day with a steady influx of Eps, Demos, Splits , and LPs (all of which can be heard at http://gilliancarter.bandcamp.com) and a Kaufman-esque (yes, i am referring to Andy Kaufman as a adjective) persona represented by their live shows being nothing less than ridiculous, their merch being branded with giant upside down crosses, heavy use of the word "skarmz", and their contact email ; chickenmonkey111@aol.com. As a band Playful, Honest, Do-It-Yourself would be the first three words to come to mind when describing the Florida three piece fusing elements of black metal , post-rock , screamo , and post-punk into a sound they have crafted through trial and error over their 8 year of existence and with their 2013 full length "Lost Ships Sinking With The Sunset" (Dog Knight Productions / Middle Man Records) they're proving that there is hope for every kid in Saetia shirt silently discontent with the stream of new wave "screamo" that has become oh so popular in the 2010's.
"Lost Ships Sinking With The Sunset" is a 16 minute testament to a fear of death, a loss of passion, and coming to terms with the inevitability of time. The first track "Recently" starts off fast with a bass driven punk mentality that really shows the collective passion this band has. A catchy song with the looming depression this record showcases throughout , which concludes with the only clean vocals on the album preformed by Manny Udraneta of Henrietta. Bringing to mind I Hate Myself "At least i know i'm going to die" is sung and is in some ways the mantra of this record. The album does not slow down with " Dissertation #1 (Trapped) " the heaviest song on the record complete with "Drop Z" tuning which abruptly
ends leading into the interlude "Thesis Statement" which serves as a well written but momentum-halting intermission to the track "Waking Up ( Lost Ships)" which if not for the vocals could sound like a track off of Burzum's Fallen. But it doesn't. Regardless of who they're taking influence from the sound is one of their own, love it or hate it, they've made a genre which has never been especially catchy , such. The track "Time (All That Is Left Is Fading)" is a fast song but it doesn't deliver the stiff tooth rattling punch some of the other tracks do, with switches from screamo to post-rock, in no means is this a bad song and the cheerful ending which is more of a outtake tends to portray the goofy fun loving "one of the kids who sits outside of the band room in high school playing acoustic guitar with his friends uncaring of what the rest of his classmates thinks" attitude this band has. "I thought friendships were supposed to be forever, I've been forgotten so have you" is a line that is relatable but in the track "I've Been Forgotten & So Have You" portrays the deep-rooted angst held throughout and is one of the most well written songs on the album which leads into the apex of the record "Sinking With The Sunset". Almost like a love letter to bands like Orchid or City of Caterpillar as well as a self depleting memoir to growing old "as i look at myself, it seems that change is inevitable" every instrument ; bass, drums, guitar, vocals meld extremely well to the crest and troughs of this song. Clocking in at 4:05 its the longest track on the records and is almost cinematic , ending in vocals trading off between the band's members almost as to say regardless of who is doing what in the band this is a
collective work between its members and the listener. Separate parts making a greater whole. The record concludes with "Spring Song" reminiscent of if Rivers Cumono was just a little bit angrier and a little bit more into Pageninetynine (i can't speak for Rivers's interests in screamo) the song chimes in with horns and the comes full circle with the line "farewell to the times we used to share" leaving you longing for some sort of resolve, which you will not receive here or anytime soon. The themes displayed here aren't ones which , as we all know , have a resolution. They just leave a bitter and thought provoking taste in the back of your throat.
On its own "Lost Ships Sinking With The Sunset ..." stands as a cohesive piece of music by a band that i'm sure will be making headway in the coming months when this is released. A seemingly simple record that lyrically and musically will have you tracing your finger across a sheet of paper following along to every word
The record in its entirety is now streaming at : http://dogknightsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/dk039-gillian-carter-lost-ships-sinking-with-the-sunset-10-lp
Preorders are available at
UK : http://www.dogknightsproductions.com/DK/Store.html
US : http://middlemanrecords.storenvy.com/products/1463366-gillian-carter-lost-ships-sinking-with-the-sunset-10-lp
