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Bristol four-piece Souls follow in the tradition of Joy Division, Editors and Strangelove. If you like your rock dark, brooding and exciting they are the band for you. "Demise" starts the album promisingly. There is depression here, but it's transmuted into anger. Souls are Killing Joke Juniors. In a good way. Singer Dean Bryant has a gravely Richard Butler-esque tone to his voice. They make taut and furious rock music, for those who like to walk on the rainy side of the street. "Thought Machine" has a sinuous guitar line, that prowls into view. In this song Dean has a hint of Senser's Heitham Al-Sayed, maybe it's in the righteous anger. The waves of tension build as the song progresses, but song is never sacrificed for empty bluster.
"Resurrection" shows the band can dial back the volume effectively. The echo-laden guitars hint at Levitation. When the explosion inevitably comes – two minutes in – it's all the more effective for the groundwork that has gone before. The guitars take flight in such a way that impresses this listener. "White Flag" is fast and furious, making me think that Souls might appeal to fans of the louder side of New Model Army. "Infiltrate" shows the band know that it's good to vary the pace of song over an album – and indeed over the course of a song. Here they sound like iLiKETRAiNS to start with, before going more metal. "Lowlife" sees the band rage at modern life, but they never do so in a way that alienates the listener. Souls have curiously decided to smother "Detonate" with a gentle layer of white noise for the first two and a half minutes. It's as if they weren't confident about their 'ballad' though these strange sounds seem a curious choice of topping. The quiet/loud/quiet dynamic works well. Dean sounds ominous as he sings the closing line: 'I smile as you start to detonate'. You can tell he's up to no good. Elsewhere "Battlescars" sounds like it was recorded in a giant cavern. This is never a bad plan. Some subtle synths help to build the song to epic proportions. "Boiling Point" starts quietly, with a Joy Division feel to the drums. Things soon get louder and faster. Dean sounds hoarse by the end; the authenticity of his passion is not in doubt. "Slowbrain" and "Troubadour" are more of the same. All good stuff, but nothing new. The hidden song "Justice" is worth the wait, mixing chiming guitar and dirty electronica noises. We could have done with a little more experimentation like this elsewhere. Souls live in a dark domain which has been mapped out by others. On the other hand they do conjure up a convincing storm of anger and fury – and it's better to let these things out isn't it? |
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