Originally comprised of former members of Human Waste Project, Snot, and 30 Seconds To Mars, theSTART weave as enigmatic a sound as one could imagine. Amazingly enough, their individual talents blended perfectly as their debut produced one of the most original and refreshing sounds heard in years. Fusing elements of punk, 80’s synth-pop, and gothic textures, “Shakedown!” went into areas that no one suspected would arise from these prog-rock and hardcore punk alumni. Quite expectantly though, theSTART remained under the radar of most of the public’s ears. Following some label shifting, they would release the “Death Via Satellite” EP on Nitro Records. The short preview of new material saw them moving away from their dance-rock tendencies. Instead, the punk and goth flavors moved to the forefront of the palette. This is not to say that the material faltered, on the contrary, the product portrayed new maturity as the group delved deeper into their more caustic musical roots and added topical relevance with anthemic lyrical composure. With “Initiation” then, theSTART must prove that they have what it takes to maintain longevity within the capricious music scene.The opening track and subsequent first single, “Like Days”, is a wonderfully crafted example of theSTART’s talents. Ripe with sharp guitar riffs, thick bass lines, diligent drumming, and expert vocal control, the cut is an atmospheric beauty. However, it turns out to be quite an anomaly when compared to much of the music found here. Several of the album’s cuts are passable, and few songs really stand out in your head. Jamie Miller’s guitar work seems to have strayed even farther from the poppy, punk days of yore. Instead, it appears he is attempting to craft more of a space rock feel ala Failure, or a much more densely sounding The Cure that rarely comes off nearly as charming. Aimee Echo always has and always will be the main focal point of the band however. Her raspy yet sweet vocals are still quite in fine form. The only problem being that with the sub-par song construction, often times her performance comes off more saccharin than sugar tasting. Bass on the album is actually somewhat impressive as it turns out to be an important backbone to many of the tracks instead of just following along understated. Being fairly dull in comparison though, the percussion displays itself as little more than a steady backbeat. Likewise, production value on the album seems fairly low. For a band with so much energy attempted in their compositions it’s odd that listening to them on this outing makes you feel more like you’re hearing indie or garage rock hipsters than existential art-pop punks.
“Initiation” as a whole is a rather disappointing affair. Almost completely void of the original kinetics, it makes you wonder if Miss Echo and Co. really wants you to know that “You can dance if you want to!” as their old mantra used to proclaim. Indeed, even when compared to the “Death Via Satellite” EP, the album feels more like a collection of B-sides than it does as a completed piece of work that the band should be proud of. With the exception of the first track and maybe two or three others, none of the other songs really live up to the legacy of theSTART. And while the band still produces music that is far more interesting than nearly everything else out right now, “Initiation” really makes you ponder if you’re witnessing the start of something different or the end of something good.
(3.5/5)
This was a review I wrote ages ago. While it is out of date, it serves as an ample precursor for the reviews I will write in the future. In the coming times expect reviews for Dredg's "Catch Without Arms" and Finch's "Say Hello To Sunshine".
calamityJANE said...
3.5/5???
i guess that's pretty decent. my ass got a 7.5/10 tonight from this dude at the show/bar i went to. that's decent i guess.
hk_newbie said...
Rainny'd give tool a 3.5/5. Only rainmy recieves a 5/5. Because rainny is rainny, and nothing stops rainny.
I never had my ass rated...I feel so alone. :(