Welsh ‘electronicore’ act Clear the Auditorium explored the potentials of WWIII breaking in 2021 on their debut EP, ‘2021’ and expanded on the theme on the follow-up, ‘The Final Broadcast’, re-released here and expanded to mini-album length with an additional four tracks on top of the original three.
A (fictional) BBC news announcement warns of an imminent nuclear strike and the evacuation of London over portentous orchestral strikes on ‘Prologue’ before the guitars slam in, powerchords chug-chugging over stocky bass while dual vocals – clean and shouty, guttural collide amidst cinematic synths. So while Dafydd ‘Taf’ Richard sings of epic destruction and philosophises over nu-rave keyboards, Matthew Bennett-Jones articulates the end of the world by going ‘wwaaauurggghhhhhh!!’ and is much more convincing.
‘If We Burn’ finds them really laying it all out there, hectic synths bursting every which way and busy rhythms dominating the verses before the sweeping chorus, and while the ambition is commendable, it’s all been done before. By which I mean it’s all very Enter Shakiri meets Linkin Park.
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The new tracks are better produced, fuller-sounding, and accentuate the contrasting elements of melody and hard-edged attack. ‘We Are the Danger’ is definitely punkier, but not necessarily better. ‘It’s better to fade away than to never shine’, Taf reflects on the expansive ‘Ozymandius’ (I’m assuming the variant (mis)spelling is intentional) and of course, he’s right. Sadly, I can’t help but wonder if his band’s fate isn’t already sealed.
Clear the Auditorium Online
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