Following up on their debut album, 2011’s ;Midnight in the Drawn City’ and ‘The Mirror Now’ EP, ‘Identity’ marks something of a shift for London five-piece Suzerain. The darker, more industrial feel that pervaded the ‘Good Day’ EP in 2014 is in full effect on the 12 tracks here.
‘Anytime’ is a slow-burner that’s pure Nine Inch Nails, the heft percussion with dominant snare forging a stark, claustrophobic atmosphere. The chaotic piano and fuzzy, strolling bass break on ‘Dark Dark’ owes more to the sound of David Bowie’s ‘Outside’ than anything else, but ultimate credit must go to the band themselves, for the quality of the songwriting and execution is what really makes this such a strong album. The tense, bass-driven stomp of ‘Good Day’ is a definite standout, Following up on their debut album, 2011’s ;Midnight in the Drawn City’ and ‘The Mirror Now’ EP, ‘Identity’ marks something of a shift for London five-piece Suzerain. The darker, more industrial feel that pervaded the ‘Good Day’ EP in 2014 is in full effect on the 12 tracks here.
‘Anytime’ is a slow-burner that’s pure Nine Inch Nails, the hefty percussion with dominant snare forging a stark, claustrophobic atmosphere. The chaotic piano and fuzzy, strolling bass break on ‘Dark Dark’ owes more to the sound of David Bowie’s ‘Outside’ than anything else, but ultimate credit must go to the band themselves, for the quality of the songwriting and execution is what really makes this such a strong album. The tense, bass-driven stomp of ‘Good Day’ is a definite standout, as is brooding lead single cut ‘Always’.
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The hard edges are tempered by some keen melodies and a light infusion neoprog. However, the songs are all concise and highly focused, with a clearly defined linearity, making for an album that gels well. The tempo, texture and tone are more than varied enough to hold the attention, and there’s a real dynamic to each track individually and within the overall album structure.
Suzerain Online
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