Review Summary: Pure passion from the steel city
One word, Potential.
Theres nothing better than hearing a band that are destined for greatness.
While She Sleeps are that band.
Their debut album "The North Stands For Nothing", sounds like the angular bastard-child of early Architects and Killswitch Engage, bought up on a diet of disjointed rhythms and punishing breakdowns, juxtaposed with moments of soaring elevation and divided with "innovative-if-bring-me-the-horizon-hadn't-done-it-first" ambient interludes. Oh and its from Yorkshire.
Raw passion and dedication, is what holds this album together. Frontman Lawrence Taylor, over-rides every song with so much emotional intensity and lyrical poetry, that its hard not to imagine the band spiralling into some kind of brutal, spiritual oblivion on occassions.
In terms of actual songs, it only has five; Trophies, Lost Above The Arches and The Truth being interludes (we will get to them later). The title track and "Hearts Aside Our Horses" are the highlights, bookending the album like two massive hook-laden giants, casting a shadow on the slightly more inferior "My Conscience, Your Freedom" and "Proud Of The Demon In Me", which still roar with ferocious passion, but aren't anywhere close to the strength of the first and last songs. This said, the single; "Crows" is a punishing onslaught, which epitomizes the spirit of the band better than any other track and will work as a fantastic entry point.
Production is a standard, bass drops-a-plenty, balls to the wall hardcore affair, but slightly rawer. Sometimes, it is possible to hear where the band have dropped into the track, ruining the illusion that they are wrecking whichever venues' PA was brave enough, to harness their 'soundtrack to the end of the world'. This is unusual and disappointing, when a live atmosphere is the number one aspect that you would want on a hardcore record. Quality control boys!
The interludes that divide the album are the main downside. If integrated correctly, these would have added a whole new narrative aspect, but unfortunately don't particularly do anything at all. "Trophies" previews the chorus of "Hearts Aside Our Horses" and is 40 seconds long. Needless to say, this isn't needed. "Lost Above The Arches", draws upon a single delayed lead line which is taken on a one-and-a-half-minute, route to nowhere. Once again the album could have done without it. The last interlude "The Truth" is an entirely different story. In "Bring Me The Horizon" style, Lawrence Taylor rips apart the ambience below him in a painstaking monologue; "And its been fifteen years, fifteen ***in' years, since I let my guard down, and i know exactly where to point the blame!". This introduces one of the strongest moments of the whole album, with the gang vocal chant of "You always gave us more than we deserve!", into the spine-tingling outro which eventually fades into nothingness. If all the interludes were executed to this kind of blissful quality, this mini album would be riding on the waves of something really special.
Overall, the album is a definite grower. There are sparks of "what-the-***" brilliance, but it takes a while to ingest as a total piece of work.
While She Sleeps are pure passion from the steel city and if you're looking for a band who play from their hearts, then watch this space.
There is much more to come.
3.5
Leo Troy
Must hear:
The North Stands For Nothing, Crows, Hearts Aside Our Horses
For fans of: Architects, Killswitch Engage, Bring Me The Horizon
