Life Sentence - Chaos Theory
Life Sentence are a young, unsigned outfit from Gravesend, Kent, who have been knocking about for a few years now. The self-released CD which forms the subject of this review is a compilation of their five-track "Chaos Theory" EP (originally released in January) and work in progress demo versions of three unfinished new songs.
Everything about this CD inspires a strong sense of déjà vu. The band name (surely there are dozens of Life Sentences doing the rounds?), the EP title, the hooded tops and low-slung jeans in the group photo, and, unfortunately, the music contained within - you've seen/heard it all before. Opening track 'Violence is a Virtue' smacks of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal (*shudder* - you have no idea how much it pains me to type that vacuous term), but it's a false start. The remainder of the EP is straight-up emo or screamo or whatever it is we're supposed to be calling 1990s indie/alternative with the guitars turned up and a bunch of skinny-fit tee-shirts in the wardrobe. Vocals are clean, with an accent straight from southern California; guitar and drum work is competent but fairly minimalist (the musicians really do nothing more than service the song as simply as possible); the bass guitar might as well not be there for the most part. The songwriting is competent enough, but there's little in the way of original thought and nothing which sticks in your head once the CD has finished playing.
The three new tracks are perhaps a tad more NWOAHM (*shudder* again) than the EP's songs, featuring as they do some harmonized dual guitar riffing and pacey drumming breaks, although it doesn't sound as though there's going to be a sea change in Life Sentence's style any time soon. Apparently, the band have caused some minor ripples in pop-metal circles (a feature in "Metal Hammer", some airplay on XFM) and you can see why; they're capable at what they do. But is it too much to ask for a young new band to have some ideas of their own, rather than latch onto the rapidly burning out fag end of someone else's scene?