Here Lies A Warning - Keep Your Head Under The Water EP
Scottish band Here Lies a Warning attempt to give us a growling metal EP with 'Keep Your Head Under the Water'.
Super solid drums from Brian Robertson, linked with the bass of James Cunningham, provide a strong backbone to each song. Supported by chunky, weaving guitars from Kalin Smith and Anthony Coles there is some talented music on show here. It's a shame they've decided to go for the generic, voice destroying, guttural growling vocal style that is fast becoming a sign of a dated band.
The first two tracks, 'Make This Night Our Own' and 'Destroy Something Beautiful' are completely interchangeable and nothing particularly stands out from either of them. This is music we've heard a hundred times before. Things look better on the later tracks. 'Ashore', A really pretty piece of instrumental music, marks the middle of the EP. While 'How Lonely The Price Without His Kingdom' proves that vocalist Leonardus Segrius is capable of singing, and has a melodic and interesting voice. However they can't help themselves and turn the last 40 seconds of the track back into the generic growl.
There are glimpses that shows this band is capable of creating a variety of sounds and could produce a quality rich, individual style. They just need to get over the growling and find it.