THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY (Rorschach) CD

Whenever I read the name 'Rorschach' somewhere, I do not only think of the psychological test or the crusty US-hardcore band, but more about the awesome "Watchmen" comics, where a mysterious character appears with the same name. It looks as if the five guys from this US-band, hailing from Daytona Beach, Florida, have had the same associations, because the booklet contains a few images from "Watchmen". Well, the music isn't as unique as the comic-book, but not so bad that it should be ignored. Obviously, one of the greatest influences here are bands like Neurosis or Isis, and especially the loud and heavy parts, fronted by the typical roaring vocals, could have been from mid-period Neurosis. Two bass-player are making the difference her, not only because it makes the sound thicker and heavier, but also because they integrated them in an interesting way.  But the best moments here are the quiet parts as in "Harlem" or "Reluctant Hero", where the sound becomes more and more psychedelic. The band's ability in hypnotizing the listener is not bad, and although the entire mood of "Rorschach" lies somewhere between desperation and anger, this mellow parts are bittersweet and drenched in melancholy. It's nothing new, that this kind of sound draws a lot of energy out of the different dynamics, but T.o. S.o.t. S. have a very good sensibility in creating both counterparts and combining them to one big massive unit, though I feel more convinded  when they are drifting into softer territories. After two self-released discs, from which one has been recorded at Austin Enterprises with Steve Austin (Today Is The Day), the guys at Retribute Records went about signing T. o. S. o. t.  S. and it should help the band to get a bigger attention, because they have more to offer than other bands which are coming up with a comparable sound. Give it try!
(KK)
http://tossrocks.cjb.net
www.retributerecords.com