There’s a lot of really boring music coming out of Wales at the moment. No doubt record companies are trying to establish a ‘scene’ so that they can slap everything coming out of the country with the same label and flog it to an established demographic. This must really suck for the bands involved, at least those with any integrity, but do they deserve our pity? Locus of Control do, at least a wee bit.
They’re not awful. It's something of a backhanded compliment, but it’s true. There is a definite impression that the band really do believe in what they are doing. They could almost be another dull-but-serviceable metal band were it not for the fact that they’re also striving for the ‘emo’ category, or at least being shoved in that direction. Any dynamism or drive they pick up is quickly sacrificed to this end, with the occasional good riff suddenly falling flat so that a quiet bit with some twangy guitar can be slotted in.
… to a Bloody War or a Sickly Season sounds like an okay album which has been ruined rather than something that flat-out sucks in its own right.
Heartfelt the lyrics may be, but this doesn’t stop them from being truly atrocious. “I have to breathe … just to feel” is fairly representative, and far from the worst on offer.
Lady Baby – an otherwise enjoyable and fairly rocking track – is completely spoiled by the underlying stupidity that the lyrics display. “Maybe cause of the crude oil/and the acrid smoke/I poured sand on the blood stains/then my baby awoke”. I take it back – they
are awful.
Debut single
The Comfort of Repetition sums up the album fairly well – it starts off well and actually rocks a fair bit, quickly turning rather dull and formulaic. It has a crap name. And it’s really poorly produced. This is one of the main failings of the album – production values are practically non-existent. Cuts between tracks are extremely jumpy, and the band sound like they are performing in a distant cave. Perhaps they are. It’s probably the best place for them.
What this band needs more than anything else is to get a new label and distance themselves from any emo associations. They can at least play their instruments, and have some idea of how song structure works – enough to elevate them above many similar bands in the field. If they stop trying to be fashionably miserable and actually develop some writing skills, they could be putting out music worth listening to in a few years time.
Locus of Contol will never be great, but with a bit of effort they could certainly be more than mediocre.
… to a Bloody War or a Sickly Season is out now.
http://www.locusofcontrol.co.uk
