-------------------------------------------------------------------// relinfo
artist Erra
album Impulse
label Tragic Hero
genre Metal
release 2012-02-22
street 2011-11-30
encoder
bitrate 256kbps
size 76.44 mb
playtime 38:57
buy http://mp3.platekompaniet.no/site/web3/view.ftl?page=product&pro
ductId=10816438
info http://www.facebook.com/Erra.music
--------------------------------------------------------------------// tracks
01 White Noise [ 4:02]
02 Pattern Interrupt [ 3:09]
03 Seven [ 3:16]
04 Architect [ 3:15]
05 Efflorescent [ 3:57]
06 Vaalbara [ 4:14]
07 Heart [ 3:31]
08 Obscure Words [ 3:04]
09 Invent [ 4:42]
10 Render The Void [ 5:47]
---------------------------------------------------------------------// notes
Metalcore has never been a tranquil genre to say the least, and nowhere is
that more apparent than on Erra's Impulse. The album's most striking feature
is its use of contrast, both atmospherically and musically. Dynamic
soundscapes, both vocally and instrumentally, define this release.
Frantically racing from melody to discord, Erra's style is best characterized
by chaos, much like the Babylonian God of pestilence and mayhem that is their
namesake.
The album's opener, "White Noise", serves as an accessible entry point for
the pandemonium to come. It also exemplifies Erra's style: heavy riff-driven
metalcore that would be relatively standard if not for the inclusion of
high-pitched clean vocals and ethereal melodies to offset it. While they've
essentially only applied the 'djent' style pioneered by bands like Meshuggah
and more recently Born of Osiris (except trading synth for clean vocals),
Erra are too talented to be considered derivative.
While their formula isn't exactly unheard of, the band's technical prowess is
undeniable, and their superior songwriting easily distinguishes themselves
from their peers. Even for metalcore, Erra are f!@#king extreme. Where other
bands would shy away from relying too heavily on clean vocals or melodic
interludes, Erra fearlessly embraces dynamics to ferocious effect. Where
other bands would succumb to gimmicky elements, Erra casually tosses in
digressive interludes mid-song ("Heart"), and arpeggios on piano ("Obscure
Words"). One would be hard-pressed to find any prolonged span of homogenous
sound without some amount of conscious modulation.
However, that's not to say Impulse isn't cohesive. Erra definitely loves
their disorder and experimentation, but their specific blend of winding riffs
and heavy chugs is so striking that the album functions very well as a whole.
For a young band, Erra's sound is surprisingly fluid, but the high production
value that makes the album sound so crisp also highlights its greatest
weakness. The clean vocals, while effective, absolutely exude auto-tune, and
are sure to be their most divisive feature. Their technical prowess, while
impressive, wears on, and some songs just arenÆt as well-executed as others.
---------------------------------------------------------------------// aboot
ALTDIGITAL is all about filling the gap (is there really one?) when
it comes to digital only releases in the alternative genres.
altdigital 2011\\------------------------------------------------------------