Skies In Motion – Life Lessons

It is probably fair to say that there are a couple of metal bred flavours we are finding ourselves uninspired by at The RR right now, metalcore being one. There are plenty of good and enjoyable bands emerging within the genre but few which truly break from the familiar and creatively routine. UK outfit Skies In Motion is one which defies that thought especially with their new debut album Life Lessons now leading their persuasion.  It is a ferocious magnetic collection of songs as irritable and aggressive as they are creatively and melodically captivating. Certainly plenty of its appeal is down to striking potential but equally there is an imagination and enterprise at play which only excites.

Hailing from Derby, Skies In Motion stepped forward in 2012 and has increased their reputation year on year  with their live presence alone which has seen them share stages with the likes of Killswitch Engage, Devil Wears Prada, August Burns Red, While She Sleeps, Unearth, Slaves , Skindred, Don Broco, Our Hollow Our Home, Gnarwolves and many more. Their initial sound was more hardcore driven though still embracing melodic strains. Life Lessons merges those flavours with its metalcore instincts, resulting in an assault which at times maybe embraces familiar essences but is a relentlessly fresh and intriguing proposition.

The press release for the album suggests bands such as While She Sleeps and Architects are good comparisons and it is not too hard going along with that as opener Architect bites. It initial melodic invitation is a deceit giving no suggestion of the creative carnage to follow though it is not long before an invasion of riffs and rhythms accompany enticing throat raw vocals. Intrigue is quickly gripped and fed as the track evolves into successor Cascades where djent spice predation is followed by hardcore causticity and metal antagonism, vocalist Adam Connor tenaciously riding the tempest. It is a stirring mix which welcomingly infests ears and appetite, the rhythms of bassist Dan Wheeler and drummer Sam Gaines continuing the predatory invasion as guitarists Dave Stewart and Andy Shaw weave a carnal tempest of craft and temptation. Connor is as striking as the sounds around him, the diversity of his attack thoroughly enjoyable and as potently backed by those around him.  There is also infectiousness to the track which borders on poppy, a catchiness which never undermines the ferocity.

The following Realizationship is similarly woven if even more irritable and too a web of seduction and sonic violence which never stops twisting and turning within its storm. The song lacks the final striking essences of its predecessor yet with teasing grooves and fury loaded flames of melody it masterfully hits the spot and an imagination already submissive to the inventively evolving landscapes the band shares within songs.

Another plateau is breached by next up Happy Families, its stabbing riffs and wiry tendrils an instant trap to fall into which only tightens as steely grooves and rabid riffs join rapacious rhythms and a virulence of contagious antics. Connor impressively leads into and drives the chorus of vocal spirit, sound relaxing a touch to embrace the infectious roar though that moment of unity is surrounded by a compelling net of discord and unpredictability. The track is superb and another reason to suggest Skies in Motion is a real force in the making.

Learn The Hard Way is next, its grooved body a fiery cauldron of sound and emotion with some of the most delicious melodic and harmonic lures heard in a fair time while the following Ugly lives up to its name in tone though it too has a swing and exhaustive rigour which simultaneously incites and devours the body. Both songs reveal more of the bands craft in writing and performance, the latter simply a beast of cyclonic contagion to become increasingly greedy for even before Finding Myself Lost has the chance to stamp its intense authority over the senses. It is fair to say that some tracks, like this one, needs time to truly appreciate; to explore and discover its deep qualities beneath a surface which pleasures if not overwhelms though truthfully every song has a wealth of adventure ready to share with increasing listens.

Both the carnivorous Sword Swallower and the emotively conjured Gonvena provide a mercurial adventure of sound and imagination, the first a savage turbulence which flows into an emotionally acute oasis of calm while the second goes from poetic beauty and melodic reflection to blistering intensity. The second is especially bewitching, Connor further impressing with his melodic prowess and the band with its fluidity through extremely contrasting climates.

When Home Feels Distant (And Distance Feels Like Home) lacks some of the captivation and adventure of the previous two but still has ears gripped and pleasure lit with its Avenged Sevenfold spiced tapestry, next up Five Years finding the same success with its own heart bred tempest of sound and raw aggression. It too misses some of the keen ingredients of earlier encounters but leaves satisfaction full and a want for more, hungrier.

Concluding with Hopebringer, another track which needs time to blossom into a fascinating and invasive fury of sound and potential, Life Lessons needs no help in luring ears and attention back again and indeed again. It is a debut which more than suggests, actually declares Skies In Motion as a band able to bring a fresh breath to the hardcore/metalcore scene. Whether they can live up to its potential time will tell but we would not bet against it.

Life Lessons is out now @ http://skiesinmotionuk.bigcartel.com/product/pre-order-life-lessons-albumu

http://www.skiesinmotion.com/    https://www.facebook.com/skiesinmotion    https://twitter.com/skiesinmotion

Pete RingMaster 14/09/2017

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Idols Of Apathy – Life Lessons

Truly standing out in the vast horde of metal bands with a hellacious bully of a sound seems to get harder and harder with every passing year and diversely brutal release. Originality is a premium numerous touch upon, often impressively, and few rarely blossom to something which really does stand alone and become the inspirer rather than the inspired. British extreme /tech metallers Idols Of Apathy fall into the former with their sound, but equally strongly impress with their five track tempest of fury and raw ingenuity, the Life Lessons EP. The release is a volatile and skilfully invasive proposition which never leaves a moment dulled by a lack of imagination and passion, qualities woven in with recognisable hues to suggest that influences breed as much of the band’s invention as their own explorations. At the same time though, the highly enjoyable Life Lessons leaves ears and appetite fiercely attentive as a rich fuel of potential hints of even bigger and individually bolder things ahead as Idols Of Apathy evolve.

   Bursting from the Essex landscape in 2013, Idols Of Apathy were soon stirring up a potent local fan base, spreading further afield once they swiftly released debut single Deceiver. Its success was backed by first EP Unheard Words, which was recorded by Dan Keer. Picking up strong national and media recognition, it was the spark to the band sharing stages, to continuing acclaim, alongside the likes of Climates, Canvas, Lock & Key, Shields, Sworn In, Continents, Create to Inspire, Carcer City, and Falling With Style amongst many more. It is easy to see similar and bigger responses to the release and persuasion of Life Lessons coming up, and though it might not roar from that plateau of major originality it powerfully gives the already strong reputation of the band a new shot in the arm.

The release opens with Bipolar, a song inspired by vocalist Jack Dervish’s own condition and living up to its title in sound and character from its first evocative breath. In no time the inviting coaxing is an anger driven and heart spawned tearing of the senses, with a sound seemingly drawing on the savage intensity and hues of a Slipknot, Devil Driver, or As I Lay Dying. The lethal swings of drummer Stuart Roche resonate like masonry through ears and bone whilst the raw vocal invasion of Dervish, backed as strongly by guitarist Dean Chignell especially with his eventful clean tones, abrase and entice simultaneously. It is the web of invasive grooves and technical imagination from Chignell and fellow guitarists Tom Johnston and Joe Gregory that majorly helps turn a very decent track become a striking offering, their entwining enterprise helping the EP get off to an immense and impressive start.

The great creative irritability and hostile dynamics of the first song continues in the following Addiction, its trespass an insatiable incursion into the senses but bolder in its embrace of provocative ambiences and ‘mellower’ textures led again by clean vocals. The song itself jerks around at times like it has creative Saint Vitus Dance, twisting and lurching from idea to carnivorous intent with seamless and eventful prowess. The bass of Elliott Black is a predator in the mix, his lines and lures bestial, and though not always as open in the mix as in the first song are always there tempering or inciting the calmer and fiercer moments.

Once A Cheat / Always comes next, smothering ears in an atmospheric angst around similarly driven vocals before spilling its own animus of sound and emotion. The scything strokes of one guitar collude with a net of off-kilter sonic from another as the track blossoms a turbulence which merges moments of rich catchiness with winds of blustery causticity; the technical craft and ideation of the band from all angles ensuring predictability is an unused issue.

The scent of Whitechapel meets Revocation of the track merges with the rancorous intensity of the following Backstabber too, lining the melodic expression lighting up a track which maybe does not make the same initial impact as earlier propositions within Life Lessons but comes into its thrilling own over time and listens. It is an increasingly virulent tapestry of crippling rhythms and spiky guitar intrusiveness bursting with resourceful vitality and physical tenacity from across the board before leaving Lessons Learnt to bring the EP to an imposing like-minded and pleasing close. As well as essences which savage as old friends, there is an element of similarity between songs in certain areas but always saved from dominating things by the turbulent adventure the band builds each track upon. Whereas its predecessor’s assault was sonic and lyrical venom, the final track feels like it is an understanding incitement, melodic and harmonic essences a hug around the shoulder giving a reassurance echoing the words shared, though it still snarls and bites like a rabid beast too.

Idols Of Apathy is a band destined to more and greater attention, a suggestion hard to resist making on the evidence of the excellent Life Lessons, and if they can find that real element of originality too, the real potential of big things ahead.

The Life Lessons EP is available from December 4^th.

https://www.facebook.com/IdolsOfApathy   https://twitter.com/idolsofapathy

Pete RingMaster 04/12/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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