Swiss but no cheese!
I first came across Disgroove when they supported McQueen on their German tour back in February and I confess that on the first night they didn't do a great deal for me. Over the next five days however they crept under my skin like an infectious virus and just got better and better. Their second album 'Three' has much the same effect, it does take a few listens to really get into it but when you do there are some fine moments on offer.
Album opener 'Mass Confusion' appears unremarkable on first listen but the more spins you give it the more you come to appreciate the subtleties of the backing vocals and the tasty little guitar licks. Released as a single in mainland Europe, 'Come Down' is a great tune, simple but effective with huge guitars and a hopelessly catchy chorus that would probably do well as a single over here. There's a nice variety of styles on 'Three' and 'Your Blood' is a prime example of that, a slower, mellower verse that evokes comparisons to Pearl Jam perhaps, which is followed by the faster 'The Sky Turns Black'. The whole album remains upbeat on the whole but with a feel of underlying menace that keeps the intensity running throughout.
There are one or two weaker tracks like 'Ready' and 'R'n'R' Star but even these aren't bad, merely not of the calibre of the rest of the album. For every one of these though there are two or three really strong songs and 'P.O.A.D', and 'Pay for What I Am' that make up the middle section of the album bring everything back on track nicely. 'Promises' brings an acoustic feel but stays with the dark feel and by this point it's clear that Disgroove are not only a band with a real sense of what makes a song work but that they have also managed to hone a very distinctive sound. There's no mistaking who it is when they come round on the iPod!
Whilst many albums tail off towards the end Disgroove's does exactly the opposite with the gloriously anthemic 'Falling' leading into 'Learn to be Right'. With great production and some really fat guitar riffs this is a thoroughly solid album from Disgroove and whilst the name might not be wholly suited to the UK market there's no denying that with some careful single choices they could make an impact.