We've covered a fair range of styles in the last week, some Swedish post metal as well as some pretty easy listening Power Pop, so it's good to be able to mix that up by covering a band who today have released an album full of continuous rock noise. 'Peace on Earth' are from Gothenburg and they are a trio of musicians, which is somewhat surprising given they collectively produce enough of a racket for at least a 5 piece band.
Their debut album 'Silent Killer' is described by themselves as a 'concept' album, but potential listeners shouldn't be fearful of this, as it simply relates to the fact that all 8 tracks merge into each other. And whilst I'm loathe to try to categorise their sound, they probably fit loosely somewhere within the 'psychedelic dreamy shoegaze boogie woogie rock' space of music genres. Just give it a listen anyway, and see whether you like it.
I certainly do, because whilst at times the music is completely drenched in reverb, echoes and shoegazing guitar effects, there is some genuinely aesthetically pleasing moments mixed with thumping guitar sections that drive the tracks forward. After the opening track 'What I'm After', where we're offered falsetto sounding vocals accompanied by echoing guitars that set the atmosphere, 'Where We Are' takes the album forward and it's a low-key and slightly discordant opening, that opens up with moments of vocal clarity - i like the unusual sounding chord sequences, and I like also that I'm slightly on edge at the sound being produced. But it's tracks such as 'Silence' that really appeal, 8 minutes of sound opening with brooding angry guitar rhythms and thudding resonance and it is the highlight of the album for me. This is followed by the dreamy 'Fantasy' which builds with a really effective intensity towards a climax shortly before the end.
Wonder' returns again to the more conventional guitar led sounds and there is no doubt that I'm more comfortable with this approach, the vocals here work well but it's always carried forward by the constant guitar grunge. 'Guess You Are' opens up with some in the middle section with some snippets of gorgeous melodic sense, whilst concluding and title track 'Silent Killer' is a mammoth 12 minutes long, a searing spaced out gallop led by hypnotic drumbeats and building to the most extraordinary and tumultuous of conclusions.
Of course, I have no doubt that this probably fits into a category that my other half would define as 'oh my, what are you listening to this time' music. Because yes at times it is so consumed in dreamy psychedelic reverb that the vocals are obscured and difficult to fathom, with only the briefest glimpses of coherent melodies. Meanwhile some of the guitar effects are pretty extraordinary, and there's no doubt that the guitarist is having great fun stretching the limits of sound, which some (although not all) of you will particularly enjoy. But overall I like 'Silent Killer' because it is distinct and original, intense in its delivery, and so full of ambition and musical ideas that I take great joy in getting totally immersed in it. I'm still not entirely sure whether 'Peace on Earth' have completely hit the mark here, I undoubtedly need a few more weeks of listening, but I recommend everyone gives it a go.
Nordic Music Review 7.5/10