An hour ago I didn’t know the band, Like Swallows, but I do now.
The beautiful trash that is their 90s whimsical hardcore sound champions a spark which reminds this reviewer of old school music heroes like the Pixies and Smashing Pumpkins.
Opening track, ‘Liens’, a loud and sweet catastrophe, acts as a taster partnered with sticky distortion and a guitar riff reminiscent of the days of Pearl Jam. However, the wielding of their alluring noise is transformed into chaos with SCREAMS followed by thrashing drums and mind blowing guitar echoes.
‘Shipwreck’ is a fuzzy mess in which the scratchy, analogue lead vocals incubate for dramatic pitch and tone. Teasing electric synth, drums and pedals gently muscle in and bring out an elating guitar which, again, evolves into a progressive and rhythmical frenzy.
‘Sharp Tongues’, has the biggest backbone of all. I’m reminded of Nine Inch Nails as it opens with an ominous vibe. The range and intricacy is intense – a slow crescendo that you simply have to listen to in order to grasp its scale. Slow, light headed, airy breaks carefully reveal muffled vocals before the dynamic tension is released for a moment of heavy, thrashing bliss.
I know very little about this Portuguese foursome, only that this is their first demo, and it’s very promising.
Visit their Facebook page to find out what spurred on this write up.
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