Night Verses

Out Of The Sky EP

Written by: TL on 28/05/2012 14:35:18

You know how there are some bands that you think are cool and you want to like them, even though you've never been able to really get into more than a few songs by them? Long Island quintet The Sleeping was such a band for me, which is why I was both bummed when they went on hiatus earlier this year, and excited when I heard that singer Douglas Robinson had joined as full time vocalist in Californian experimental post-hardcore outfit Night Verses (formerly Archives). Having searched for a singer for a long time, the band finally found their man in Robinson, and have proceeded to prove so with the freely available "Out Of The Sky EP".

The first thing about this EP to impress you as you check it out will likely be the fact that here's a band combining sounds, compositional approach and vocals that have not been similarly brought together in any other bands that come readily to mind (not to my mind at least. On one hand, Night Verses get loud, wild and energetic, much like modern post-hardcore frontline bands like What Hands Are For and letlive. On the other, the sounds they employ have a techy, futuristic shine reminiscent of bands like The Receiving End Of Sirens and Circa Survive. Now wind those concepts up in longer-than-your-average compositions with ambitions of both building dark atmospheres and flexing muscles tearing them down, and then add Robinson's desperate howls and croons on top and you've got a rather unique concoction to treat your ears to.

As promising as such a combination reads on screen, it sounds every bit as impressive on.. I would've said record, but I suppose most of you are listening to the download right? Nevermind. The point is that Night Verses sound spectacular, both when they immerse you in exotic soundscapes and then proceed to bring the house down on top of you, urging you to shout along to the effectively built-in refrains. Opener "From The Shadows Where I'm Low" showcases all of this, rising to a stormy chorus, mauling you with a menacing bridge and generally paving the way for what's to come. "To The Ends Of The Earth" might not hit you as heavily, but it makes up for it with abrasive rhythms and guitar work that paints mental pictures of crystalline spiderwebs in you head. "Be Happy With Yourself, I'm Staying Here In Hell" exploits conventional quiet/loud dynamics, rising from fleet-footed verses to towering climaxes and showing off a majestic solo in the bridge.

The disc closes on its mightiest note with "I've Lost My Way Back Down", in which Night Verses lay down threatening riffs that almost sound a little like Tool, and as Robinson cries out his last lines, any listener should feel weird doing anything else than crashing about and destroying shit. The song perfectly closes an EP displaying a soaring level of promise for a new band, as "Out Of The Sky" combines power, intelligence and atmosphere that you don't often get to hear. It may almost have too much going on, for the listener to gain easy memories of the personalities of individual songs, but as a soundtrack to immerse yourself in, get pumped up to - and given the opportunity - to wreck a pit to, it shows truly grand potential.

8

Download: the whole EP for free
For The Fans Of: The Receiving End Of Sirens, What Hands Are For, The Sleeping, Tides Of Man
Listen: facebook.com/NightVerses

Release Date 15.05.2012
Self-released

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