Promising EP From Glaswegian Six Piece
This energetic Glaswegian six piece have definitely formed a tight unit as a band, but unfortunately have managed to come up with barely anything new to add to the ever-expanding wave of high- pitched male singers and screamers. This EP unleashes the first material from their debut album and on first listen I am indifferent. It's hard to find the initial excitement in this genre due to the mindless drivel endlessly being spouted by record labels to confused kids who hate the world and everybody in it.
However, Flood Of Red has attempted to beat this by adding a few keyboard synth sounds but unfortunately for them Enter Shikari have already jumped on and sailed away on that boat. The one thing I do like about this band and the one notable difference they should hold onto is the fact that they have the occasional chanting on tracks 'Our House Is A Fish Tank' and 'Making Life Easier Since 1987'. This helps by adding that feeling of attitude and edginess that they need to differentiate themselves and deliver that supposed 'brutal assault to the senses' they claim to offer.
They do also make good use of dynamic contrasts between the heavy riffs, the 2- part screaming and the melody. They are definitely in a similar vein to Thursday with the textured layering in 'Oh Yes, There Will Be Blood' and this offers an addition in the way of another dimension to their sound, giving them a bit of distance between themselves and their peers.
Another positive aspect is that they also provide an intense amount of energy and a generally more upbeat feel to their songs. The EP has an overall feeling of youthful energy, hope and inspiration. As opposed to endless whining about broken hearts and betrayal, they seem to add a positive spin to their sound instead that makes you sit up and pay attention even though it's not really offering anything new.
In fact the more I listened to this EP the more it grew on me and the more I found myself liking it. I think they are definitely a band to watch out for in the future, especially if their live shows match their energised and positive approach to their songs.