A Rich Compilation
"Shards" is a compilation grouping together tracks from 20 unsigned UK rock/metal bands. As is usual with releases of this kind, there is a great range of styles on offer, and the quality is equally as variable.
I realise that I run the risk of sounding like an old git here, but judging from the group photos included in the CD booklet the average age of the participants appears to be about 15 (the notable exception is Strange Fashion, whose Deep Purple via pub-rock 'Tough Guy' is as hoary and ancient as their wrinkly faces). And it seems that a significant portion of metal kids born in the mid to late '80s are obsessed with the late '60s/'70s. Scratchy, garagey minimalism is common here (e.g. Mad Dog, The Labels) and there are even moments which edge dangerously close to '70s-style boogie rock (e.g. Entropy). Elsewhere, we run the gamut from hideously bland emo-muzak (Waveform) and abysmal pop-punk (F Star - not Fightstar, note - who are like Green Day, only a million, billion times shittier) to insipid grunge-lite (Bruised in Conflict, Long Time Down) to self-consciously 'wacky' Mr Bungle-isms (Stoftype) to metalcore (Drakonis) and beyond. We even get a twee pop 'black metal' act in the form of Cradle of Filth/Dimmu Borgir disciples The Furious Horde, whose vocalist wants to be Danni Filth so badly it hurts (and when that's your life's ambition, it's probably time to reassess your priorities). As mentioned, all of these bands are very young, so it's possible to forgive the occasional lack of character and often undeveloped sound.
Two bands in particular stand out as worthy of special mention. Entropy have a singer, Leonie Evans, who looks about five years old but who has a quite astounding voice. Although their song ('Soy La Sonadora') isn't amazing in itself, it's lifted above the norm by Leonie's vocals, which soar with immense power and conviction. Forget Joss Stone and her supposed black soul singer's voice; this girl is channelling a '70s rock goddess. The other goodies on the disc are Zocalo, who play solid dark metal and are a bit like a female-fronted Sentenced. Sarah Humphries' voice is lower and rockier than most vocalists in this genre, and there are no keyboards or other 'gothic' elements to wuss things up. Well worth further investigation.
All but one of the songs on offer was recorded at the same studio (Cybersound) and although the production is fairly basic it does the job and doesn't sound too uniform from track to track, ensuring that each group maintains their individuality. Apart from their unsigned status and time at Cybersound, the other unifying factor these bands have in common is the degree to which their singers all want to be American (particular offenders are F Star, Long Time Down and Recall). If none of the UK's vocalists can manage to sing with an English (or Welsh or Scottish) accent, then how about attempting a German or Japanese one or something, just for variety's sake?