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Reviews

The Fierce and the Dead — News from the Invisible World
(Bandcamp no#, 2023, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-07-24

News from the Invisible World Cover art

Listeners who are familiar with previous albums from The Fierce and the Dead are in for a number of surprises with News from the Invisible World. “The Start” is a little over three minutes in length, and for most of that time, it’s very quiet, with drums and chanting emerging slowly from silence, bursting into full volume for only a brief time before it ends. So both the quietness and the presence of vocals are out of character for the band, which I might have previously characterized as “mathy instrumental noise rock.” Removing “instrumental” and “noise” from the equation leaves us with “math rock,” which is, broadly speaking, still applicable — and honestly there’s still a bit of noise in the mix. While we’re throwing labels around, I’ll mention “art-punk” and “post-rock,” but I’m not really fond of labels. The global pandemic gave the band time to really think about their music and their direction, and they have taken the opportunity to break down barriers between what they once thought and what they were capable of. They’re still Fierce (and not Dead), so the music has the same kind of intensity they’re known for, so while on the surface their music has become more conventional (with vocals, more use of synthesizers, and less full-on blasting) but ordinary at all. Bassist Kevin Feazey is the main singer, and the previous members are all still on board: Matt Stevens (guitar), Steve Cleaton (guitar), and Stuart Marshall (drums). A few guests also chip in with keyboards, brass, and backing vocals. There are some sections that sound positively poppish and melodic in a 90s indie-rock sort of way, and other parts that slip into massive heavy riffs. Underpinning it all is a solid and imaginative rhythm section that isn’t afraid of the occasional odd meter or tricky bit, but doesn’t turn that into a fetish. The keyboards add a variety of textures, and the guitars sometimes ring out in clean tones. The result is the band’s best album yet, and a shining example of how an unexpected change of direction can breathe new life into a band that was already quite good.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): The Fierce and the Dead

More info
http://thefierceandthedead.bandcamp.com/album/news-from-the-invisible-world

 

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