Review Summary: Saosin rewrites the rules of post-hardcore music with this legendary EP.
Before Anthony Green left Saosin (shortly after this EP was recorded) they were a very different band. Sadly, this 5 track EP is less than 15 minutes long. But does that diminish the quality of it? Absolutely not.
If you've ever needed a band to express some kind of hidden emotion that you can't quite get out...if you've had a feeling you couldn't express: this is an album for you. A volatile mix of crushing drums, metal's galloping guitar lines, and Anthony Green's unmistakable vocals, Translating the Name managed to do in 15 minutes, what some bands can't do in a career: expand the limits of their genre, and turn post-hardcore into something fresh and new.
For an EP, the production is pretty clear, which is a big reason Translating the Name was spread around Myspace and other social networking sites, giving them a sizable following, before even landing a major label record deal. The bass (!) and drums are clearly heard and felt, and Justin Shekoski and Beau Burchell do an excellent job on guitar, as some of the guitar lines (especially on Seven Years) are instantly memorable.
But oh, does this album have amazing songs. Everything, even the not-immaculate-but-still-pretty-close title track, are all worth listening to. Why? It's Anthony Green that's the star of this show, going from throat-shredding screams, to haunting melodic vocals, effortlessly. He is easily one of the most talented vocalists of this genre, especially in the last 30 seconds of "3rd Measurement In C".
"Lost Symphonies" is another standout song, though it is a little slower than any other song on the EP. Pat Mcgrath's drumwork is furious here, as well. As is the case throughout the album, Anthony Green and the rest of the band absolutely bring everything they've got to the last minute of "Lost Symphonies". That's another thing that makes this EP work so well: seemingly effortless slow, medium, and fast tempos, at multiple times during each song.
Emotional, cathartic, heavy, melodic, technical...this is everything an EP should be. "Translating the Name" hinted at all the potential Saosin had. And you have to wonder what could have been, had Anthony Green not left Saosin. But that's the past.
The end result, is a bone-crushing 15 minutes of fury. Many EP's can be forgettable, but Translating the Name surely won't be. A must listen, if you're a fan of any rock-oriented genre, and definitely, if you like heavy music. This will blow your mind.
Tracks to listen to: All of them, but especially Seven Years.
Tracks to skip: None.
