Kerretta

Saansilo

Written by: DR on 28/11/2011 18:28:32

We could argue the benefits and drawbacks of the effect the internet has had on music until the cows come home, but one big point in the positive column would be that now, thanks to the internet, localised scenes need not remain localised any longer. Bands who are talented enough to expand beyond their hometown/county/country now stand a better chance at getting the international coverage they deserve.

Kerretta, all the way from Kingsland, New Zealand, have already begun to reap the benefits of this. After the release of "Vilayer", their debut album, the trio embarked on a US tour, which included a stop at SXSW, and have even supported heavyweight acts such as This Will Destroy You, Explosions in the Sky and And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead.

The opener and lead-single, "A Ways To Uprise", begins their sophomore album as a clear message of intent to get on those heavyweights' level, with gritty guitar-work that is bound to erupt once the bass and drums pound in, but underneath it lies a subtlety that Kerretta utilise more of during the course of the album: Electronics. Their previous album was an ecclectic mix of metal and rock ranging from progressive to instrumental, so it should come as no real surprise that their pallet has expanded slightly to incorporate an added element. However, while the lengths of which this trio use that element is certainly nothing breath-taking or new, it is still likely to set them apart from trends and pigeon-holes.

One of the most attractive qualities about this band is that they are rarely, if ever, caught in pursuit of that cinematic crescendo, and instead rely on tight song-writing ability and instrumental power and prowess. Electronic elements are pushed forward once "A Ways To Uprise" kicks in midway through, so much so that they are almost acting as the lead guitar to create dance-y melodies atop a powerful, post-metal-esque rhythm section. "Halls To Wherever" also adopts a somewhat quiet/loud dynamic, with the 'quiet' parts resembling the rhythmic qualities of dance music, and the 'loud' shifting to crushing metallic riffage.

Ultimately, "Saansilo" succeeds in marrying two very different styles seamlessly. Even in "Bloodlines", a song that for all its offbeat tribal sounds and bounce-y electronics, still has a few moments of real power. The album's acme comes in the form of "Kept From The Brilliance Of The Outer World". At nine minutes it ranks as the longest song on the album, but even as they stretch their tight song-structures out to epic lengths, it maintains those hallmark "Saansilo" attributes while expanding their pallet even further as to include spacier, atmospheric traits that possibly hint towards their next album.

Though Kerretta are not yet on the level of the heavyweights of this style yet, they are showing as much desire and daring as any band to get there. And though "Saansilo" is not quite Kerretta's masterpiece, it's surely only a question of when, rather than if, they will create it.

8

Download: Halls To Wherever, Kept From The Brilliance Of The Outer World
For The Fans of: Russian Circles, Beware of Safety, Isis, Talons, 65daysofstatic
Listen: Bandcamp

Release Date 16.09.2011
Golden Antenna

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