Review Summary: Potential alternative rock gems
Having grown up on significant amounts of alternative rock, the genre has undoubtedly become my personal comfort zone. Even if it’s currently slightly more reverb-drenched than the dad flavour that used to dominate my frequent rotations, it remains the backbone of much of my favourite music. Seas and Centuries appear tailor-made for this sentiment; rarely losing sight of its foundation of alternative rock, the band delicately explore multiple corners of the genre on
Battles.
Showing a significant leap in quality in the five years that have passed since the band’s first outing, this debut full length is brimming with potential. This, somewhat ironically, can also be seen as
Battles’s primary problem: it is clear that Seas and Centuries are capable of putting together a more complete, better project. The record feels more like a collection of songs rather than a cohesive unit, slightly detracting from its overall quality. Besides this, some songs end up feeling somewhat unfinished due to a lack of a climax; a moment of sheer passion. However, and thankfully, there is much more to enjoy about this album than there is to complain. As backhanded of a compliment as it may be, these slight missteps, or rather, missed opportunities, indicate the potential excellence of the band.
Here, songs such as ‘Horizons’ and ‘Vistas’ truly showcase this ability of Seas and Centuries to captivate. The former thrives off gorgeous sky-and-water lyrical imagery against a fluid backdrop of twinkly guitars and simplistic, effective drumming. While the band’s vocalist does not possess the most powerful or distinct voice, his genuine delivery and pitch is perfect for the atmosphere the track attempts to achieve. ‘Vistas’, on the other hand, is an absolute gem of an alternative rock anthem, propelled by an utterly pulsating bass. Its chorus is as dynamic as it is genuinely touching, reminiscent of Silversun Pickups’ better work. Besides that, it’s one of the few cuts on
Battles where the band truly let loose, making its final minute of distorted riffing incredibly gratifying.
Moreover, some of the more experimental tracks are rather effective too. ‘The Raveling’ pitches gentle acoustic guitars against a low, hardly distinguishable beat, making for a surprisingly dark ambiance. Similarly, ‘Collisions’ feels like a strange, oddly fitting closer to
Battles. Unnerving drums and obscured vocals define most of the track, before this filter is lifted to reveal a final moment of apparent clarity, supported by subdued keys. Even if most of the tracklist could be shuffled around with little effect to the overall experience of the album, ‘Collisions’ is perfectly placed due to its accomplishment of being a strange, compelling slice of alternative rock. Even if an occasional failed experiment in the form of ‘This Era is Gone’ makes its way in,
Battles is a record that shows true potential and harbours a few true gems. If Seas and Centuries manage to hone their craft even further on future projects, we are in for one hell of a treat.
