- Release Info -------------------------------------------------------------- -
Artist: Trophy Scars
Album: Holy Vacants
Label: Monotreme Records
Playtime: 55:29 min
Genre: Rock
URL:
Rip date: 2014-04-19
Street date: 2014-04-08
Size: 110.43 MB
Type: Normal
Quality: 263 kbps / 4410Hz / Joint Stereo
- Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- -
"The progression of Trophy Scars has been surprising to say the least; albeit
an immeasurably pleasant surprise. In just under twelve years, theyÆve gone
from a by-the-books post-hardcore outfit to one of the most innovating and
captivating acts around today. Although the incorporation of sporadic
experimental flourishes was present on much earlier work, this progression
arguably began with 2009Æs Bad Luck, wherein their dark, twisted take on the
blues first began to take root. Their subsequent work grew more epic and
audacious in scale with each release, and when they first announced Holy
Vacants - their first full-length album since Bad Luck - anticipant fans
waited with baited breath.
Unbeknownst to the loyal Trophy Scars fan base, that would prove to be one
hell of a wait. Supposedly, the album itself was actually finished in late
2012, but the band (who had long since operated independently) put their
self-proclaimed magnum opus on the backburner while they shopped out the
finished product to record labels, too proud of their work to banish it to the
underground. Even after signing with Monotreme Records, the albumÆs release
date continued to be pushed back, eventually landing on a late April/early May
2014 release (depending on what part of the word you live). So, after all the
commotion and interference that led up to this, the obvious question must be
asked: Does Holy Vacants live up to the hype?
Like their last couple of releases, Holy Vacants is a concept album, one
focusing on a doomed relationship. After two lovers discover the secret of
immortality by drinking the blood of angels, their affinity for one another
begins to deteriorate over (a very great deal of) timeà It probably sounds
like a bit much to the casual listener, though devotees of the band wouldnÆt
have batted an eyelid upon hearing the basic synopsis; Truth be told, the
story itself bears quite a few similarities to the ôassassinsö story arc from
Bad Luck, with some story elements of their last release, Never Born, Never
Dead, mixed in, albeit to much gloomier effect. Having said that, the
execution here elevates the story to unimaginable places, and proves to be
their most concise and focused work to date. And, thankfully, despite being a
concept album û and a very high concept at that û Holy Vacants is still an
exceptional listen even without one fully having to engage themselves in the
narrative (though it certainly does bring the music to another level).
Musically, it is evident from the first minute that the bluesy sound the band
had been dabbling in for their past few releases is still heavily present,
though every song on this album feels vast and extraordinary, without ever
coming off as pretentious, or just being too over the top. Additional
instruments are present in the majority of the songs, though are used to
excellent effect. Every note played here feels vital and necessary, and the
album remains accessible without any aspect of the music being even
potentially off-putting (Save from perhaps Jerry JonesÆ vocals, which I
personally adore, though I understand they are not to everyoneÆs taste, and if
you werenÆt a fan of his raspy croon which has been present on Trophy ScarsÆ
more recent work, this unfortunately may not sway you). This band knows how to
play their instruments VERY well, and yet never seem as if theyÆre showing off
when they do so. John Ferrara in particular works in some jaw-dropping guitar
solos at parts, but still knows exactly when to lay low and let the rest of
the talent do their job. The extent of which these excellent musicians gel
together truly is astounding, to say the least.
The individual songs on Holy Vacants all have their own distinct sound, and
yet work together perfectly as a collective. The band largely sticks to the
blues-influenced stylings of their last 3 releases, though are still happy to
experiment wherever possible; Burning Mirror in particular wouldÆve felt
perfectly at home on the eclectic Bad Luck; being somewhat reminiscent of Nola
without feeling as though the band is treading any ground already covered. The
soaring orchestral elements of Never Born, Never Dead are also back in full
force, particularly on Crystallophobia and Gutted, which are nothing short of
spine-tingling at their respective moments of crescendo. A personal stand-out
for me would also be Chicago Typewriter, the chilling atmosphere of which is
indescribable - something that could possibly be attributed to its guest
vocals from Fear Before/All HumanÆs Adam Fisher, who is used to utterly
perfect effect on this number. The transition between this song and Vertigo is
seamless, as are quite a few of the songs on Holy Vacants, an album that
manages more than a few sharp turns and yet flows perfectly from start to
finish.
Lyrically, it is comparable to Bad Luck, in that it switches between
explicitly stating the narrative at hand, and poetically channeling its
charactersÆ emotions through cryptic metaphors. Recurring lines and themes
also punctuate multiple points of the album. Though unlike Bad Luck, which
essentially played as a collective of interlinked vignettes, Holy Vacants is
just one grand story, told in a linear fashion through the point of view of
its two main characters. The band has rarely forayed into the female
perspective before, and they pull it off admirably here; Gabrielle Maya
Abramson, Reese Van Riper and Desiree Saetia also elevate this material with
some beautiful guest vocals throughout the album. Despite the fact that, on
paper, the story could very easily come off as contrived and pretentious,
Trophy Scars manage to avoid all of these trappings by focusing primarily on
the emotional aspects of the plot, which only serves to enrich the
already-beautiful music it accompanies.
Trophy Scars havenÆt just managed to craft a terrific album, theyÆve crafted a
work of art. This is more than 56 minutes of excellent musicianship and
songwriting. It is an experience; an addictive absorbing journey that takes
you to every point of the emotional spectrum and beckons another go-around the
moment it ends. This is a band thatÆs been exceptional music for a while now,
and they have somehow managed to top themselves in every way possible. Does
Holy Vacants live up to the hype? Undoubtedly. And them some."
- Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- -
01. Extant ( 3:14)
02. Qeres ( 6:58)
03. Archangel ( 5:40)
04. Crystallophobia ( 4:33)
05. Burning Mirror ( 4:47)
06. Hagiophobia ( 4:57)
07. Chicago Typewriter ( 4:35)
08. Vertigo ( 2:09)
09. Gutted ( 5:27)
10. Every City, Vacant ( 5:35)
11. Everything Disappearing ( 6:27)
12. Nyctophobia ( 1:07)
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