RWAKE (Hell is a Door to the Sun) CD
It's nearly impossible to describe some bands with words. In this case, it's RWAKE with their second album, released on the fine underground label Retribute Records. This six-piece US-band combines so much different elements in their intense heavy sound, that's I've needed quite a time to find my way into the structures and hearts of this eight songs. They've got some sludgy, downtuned parts, but that's only a small aspect within the songs. Sometimes the songs are changing into a classic Metal direction that is crossed with Hardcore/Black Metal parts. The both vocalists are somewhere to find between Neurosis and Iron Monkey. One of them, named B plays also a moog and throws in a few entertaining samples. So as you may expect, RWAKE aren't that kind of band for a nice relaxed heavy listening session.
The songs are deserving some attention, because there are mostly complex chord-changes, that some would name math-rock. So, drummer Jeff hasn't got a lot of time to rest. Mellow and acoustic parts ("The River") are only short moments of silence, before the band bursts out into their extreme weird and pessimistic heavy avant-metalcore. Throughout the 50 minutes of this album a lot happens here, but sometimes I think that RWAKE are trying to integrate too much ideas into one song. What disturbs me a bit, too, is the production of this album. For my taste, it could have been much heavier and louder. But maybe I just need some more time, to "understand" this band. All in all, RWAKE are a promising unique band, that doesn't care about musical boundaries as long as the result is intense and extreme. Check out Retribute Records for more informations.
(KK)