Album Details

• Artist: At The Soundawn
• Album: Red Square We Come In Waves
• Label: Lifeforce
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-09-22

It took me more than a few listens to get a grasp on what Italy's At The Soundawn were trying to pull off on their debut, Red Square We Come In Waves. I still am discovering new moods and atmospheres with each subsequent listen, and it's a very intriguing album for just that fact alone.

They're playing a heavily-layered blend of post-rock, metalcore and the odd smattering of electronica and even jazz. The meat of the music are the down-tuned riffs, very stoner-esque and on tracks like "Submerged", very psychadelic. Their ability to stop on a dime between grinding hardcore and melodic alt-rock is their greatest weapon, but fusing all of that into truly memorable songs is something they're hit-or-miss at. While opener "Slight Variations" and the frantic, DEP-esque (at times) "One Day Before" leave good impressions, the 2nd half of the album is pretty forgettable. "Phone Will" takes you somewhere without ever arriving, "Sundown in Rome" is an interlude that would have worked better to open the album and...well, it doesn't really pick up until the closing groove-centric "Frames Of You" saves the last half of the album from being a total letdown. 

Still, for a debut, Red Square We Come In Waves shows all sorts of promise for At The Soundawn. A solid foundation to work from in the future, for sure. Fans of Tool, hardocre in the vein of Shai Hulud or experimental acts like Mogwai, Kayo Dot or even Godspeed You! Black Emperor should find something to enjoy here. 

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