Despite having only been in existence for a few years, this Toronto quintet has already found themselves at a crossroads without a bus pass or spare change.
On paper, buzzwords like ‘innovative,’ ‘own identity’ and ‘signature sound’ are repeated and feature highly in their self-description before turning around and openly admitting the “wearing [of] their influences on their sleeve”. This sort of flip-flopping represents what it’s like to listen to their debut full-length. Spin The Solidity Of A Ghost and images of mathy overload and angular note combos scream from speakers before the realisation that it’s mostly Botch’s To Our Friends In The Great White North re-jigged. Unacceptable directly pulls from Bloodlet and Helmet’s Meantime, and The Engine 2.0, which at least makes itself indistinguishable from The Dillinger Escape Plan’s self-titled EP instead of their more popular works. Impeccably played and suitably aggressive it is, but considering By The Strength Of The Mighty Atlas is cobbled together so directly from so many recognisable sources, you’re best off sticking with the originals.
Via Self-Released
