Reviews: Worlds Between Us: Life In Coloured Squares
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LAMBGOAT (http://www.lambgoat.com)
As far as I can recall, I haven't heard of Worlds Between Us before, but I'm finding Life in Colored Squares to be decent a listen. If I have to generalize, I'd say this band plays heavy, melodic hardcore, which is more akin with what was popular about four years ago.
At first I am reminded of older Hopesfall, and Poison The Well. Every song on here has very melodic guitar work, as well as quite heavy breakdowns. There is also a prevalent rock and roll influence throughout the album, and it sounds like these guys also dig the Foo Fighters' albums. The fourth track, "Confusion Channeled Into Music," begins with some dissonance, and progresses nicely into an upbeat hardcore song with a reckless feel. It's not spastic, but more of a controlled chaos. I bet this song is great to see in a live setting. Actually, all these songs progress at a quick pace which moves everything along, but these guys manage to get a lot of riffs jammed in there during a short period of time. This band is also very fond of having big breakdowns while having a melodic guitar lead over them. While this works just fine, it gets a bit old after a while.
The vocals are very well executed. I like the hoarse, frantic scream, because it really sounds like this guy (editor's note: the band has since gotten a new singer) is feeling every moment of the song. The vocals are changed up with a clearer yell at times, which keeps it all from being monotonous. Lyrically, these songs are very random and wandering. I'm not too sure what these songs are about, but the performance is convincing enough for me not to care.
The production of Life in Colored Squares leaves a good bit to be desired. The guitars, which play such a vital role in this band's melodic sound, are way too thin. There isn't enough low end on this whole record, so it lacks real punch.
Bottom Line: This is a decent melodic, hardcore album. I think World Between Us could progress into a great band. They already have a good start, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I would recommend this record to fans of older Poison The Well or the first Skycamefalling EP.
6 /10
Glow in the dark (http://www.glowinthedark.org)
Worlds Between Us play this (to me) weird style of moshy yet melodic hardcore where the band can't seem to decide whether they're tough guys that stomp around and grunt like gorillas or a bunch of girlie boys who play cute, fiddly guitar licks and hope to make it to Bravo magazine one day. It's half cuddly, half jock. I imagine bands like Poison The Well and Grade sound like this. It must be noted, though, that these Austrian guys are really, really good at this style. I mean, I wouldn't be caught dead listening to this in my car, but that doesn't mean that WBU is not very prolific and talented. If you like that whole Most Precious Blood sound then this is most definitely worth checking out. Artwork and packaging are up to par as well.
Communion (http://www.thecommunion.co.uk)
It's Hardcore Jim, but not as we know it. Worlds Between Us are five young men from Vienna with an innovative take on the somewhat tired Hardcore formula. The bands sound is a tricky one to pin down, sounding akin to Bane or Canaan with the melodic sassiness of JR Ewing and guitar virtuosity of, say, Iron Maiden.
This e.p's great production gives the bands music a powerful feel, but with songs as good as 'Error 0887 Occurred' (not a type-o, I swear) and the ferocious 'Distance Restored' it might as well have been recorded in a cardboard box for all it matters, such is the quality that shines through. The band still need some work but, heck, this is only their first record, and on the strength of this, their debut album looks to be something to get excited about. So then, an '80's derived Hardcore band that aren't Paint It Black, that I actually like, that's got to be worth some brownie points.
Planet Loud (http://www.planetloud.com)
In Brief - A promising debut of chaotic hardcore..
Bands seem increasingly keen nowadays to have some higher purpose; to use their platform as role-models to raise awareness for some worthy cause, to educate kids, or to make profound social or political statements that make us reassess the way in which we live our lives. It's therefore nice to see a band content to simply revel in the joys of making "modern hardcore music"; a mission statement that Worlds Between Us seem to think is more than acceptable. And I agree. They grew up listening to a selection of Converge, Poison The Well, Refused and JR Ewing; which simultaneously shows that they have rather good taste, and that they are probably quite young - JR Ewing have only been around for since 1998 themselves.
By signing to the Tunbridge Wells based Engineer records they're following in a succession of legendary underground bands, including Hot Water Music, Chamberlain, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Winter In June and Urotsukidoji (although they didn't release the great split EP between the latter two, that was Ignition.) - a fine pedigree to be sure, but a lot to live up to.
As far as expectations go, Worlds Between Us are a mixed success The music on the whole is very good; a technical hardcore that sounds a lot like Deluge or perhaps even early Thrice, but suffers from an abundance of shrieking 80's guitar strikes that are peppered fairly evenly throughout. Andreas' primarily screamed vocals are excellent; you can really hear the JR Ewing influence here, but the lyrics swing between moments of real intelligence and insight "I guess this world is just a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think" and tired cliché "I'd rather be fired by a firm than by life itself". There is some appeal to the honest, conversational style that they are delivered in - you get a real feel of thoughts naturalistically being thrown down on paper as soon as they enter his head, but this sincerity sometimes feels out of place with the more pretentious sections of dialogue.
It appears that they may have made a small mistake with the tracklisting, because not only does 'Metronome Heartbeats [are fashionable]' appear in it's allocated slot (track 3), but it also returns not once but twice as tracks 7 and 8. This fact is made all the more interesting when you consider that according to the inlay there should only be 6 songs in total. stuck for enough songs to fill your album? No matter - just repeat your best song 3 times! An interesting technique to say the least.
Ignoring this unbelievable display of amateurism, 'Life In Coloured Squares' isn't too bad an effort; especially considering this is their debut album. The songs may tend to fizzle out in the second half, and those Iron Maiden guitars have to go, but Worlds Between Us do display a reasonable amount of talent that suggests this debut is merely the beginning.
Inside Knowledge (http://www.insideknowledge.net)
Not sure how to get my thoughts about this band moulded into a review. Singer Andreas has a great voice, for the screaming sound he's producing, but the music sounds a bit too generic for me, and I don't want that to come out too negative for this Austrian band. Hence, me being hesitant in writing these words. New school, with old school touches and you will know the drill. I am sure many will like this band, but for me they have just entered the studio too early. A band needs to have that "je ne sais quoi" to make it these days, something a band like Circle (from Belgium) does have. Great singer, good thoughts, and intense at it, are there, but just need that extra work. Hopefully "Metronome Heartbeats (Are Fashionable)" will be the bands blue print as that's where all musicians work like a well-oiled machine. The band is not just yet more then a sum of its five parts and they need to be. I'll check back in with their next release.
Green Hell (http://www.greenhell.de)
Very strong debut these new, fresh volume from Austria (hope, I do not do there now not), which produce hard core on "Life into colored squares" correctly dragging along new School and with their mixture from older Refused/JR Ewing and Poison The wave on fortunately not too very ausgelutschtem terrain move. Correctly beautiful guitar harmonies meet rockige Moshparts, supported from not to affektiert sounding Kreischgesang. Pleases me correctly, correctly well and sounds "competitive" not only, but is better than the whole Hypeschrott, which comes in such a way there from overseas washed ashore! Very well!
sweetjane (http://www.sweetjanemusic.com)
The Quintett of WORLDS BETWEEN US celebrates the label beginning on the sympathetic UK label Engineer record with "Life in Colored Squares". And evenly this celebrates the beginning with the debut album of WORLDS BETWEEN US in the new year. And not only: This volume is since long time best release of the label. Young around front man Andreas Fragner can be arranged in principle exactly between the old, still very Hardcore lastigen and newer REFUSED releases. Also volume such as THRICE, POISON THE DO NOT WAVE to be DARKEST HOUR and CONVERGE seem the main influences these volumes those these however innovatively and under any circumstances copying to process white. Particularly the fact that WORLDS BETWEEN US play political hard core throughout, lets volume think of the commitment such as REFUSED. Furious one, will stopped fast cry passages of harschen BREAK to become still more aggressive only in order then. "and now I'm screaming RK the top OF my lungs tons of express just what I'm longing for." And Fragner makes tremendously intensive and for always full conviction. Songs like "Destance:Restored", "Confusion Channelled Into Music [ and Vice Versa ]", and also the final "emergency-hung Is True Everything Is Permitted" witnesses of young volume, for which consideration - also concerning the musical - does not seem to know consideration. Compromise lot is played here directly aggressive hard core of the elevated grade, which no plates served and with the already large ones of the scene to be quite measured to be able can. With "Life in Colored Squares" submit WORLD BETWEEN US, uncommonly talentierte volume, their debut work, which promises much for the future. The Songwriting is always experienced, the lyric intentions is clearly obvious. Here a word particularly applies: genuine!
Xnay (http://www.xnay.at)
After a demo in the year 2003 now the MCD appeared "Life in Colored Squares" on Engineer records - with which Worlds Between Us, after Rentokill the second Austrian band on this label. Worlds Between Us have not disappointed at all. Six times they have clever and interesting hard core tracks. The Songs before everything by the guitar work and also the structure of the songs are interesting contribute to the alternation. Result: Good sound, good Songs: simply a good debut disk of this Viennese band.
Hardcoremusic.be (http://www.hardcoremusic.be)
Worlds Between Us arose out the ashes of True Illusion, In The Line Of Fire and Lesson Life, local bands who had already gained some following, but nevertheless broke up for whatever reason. It all started out in Graz and Wien in Vienna where these guys played their first couple of shows in 2003. In combination with these shows they released their first demo tape around July 2003.
Nowedays these guys are signed on Engineer Records, one of Englands most progressive labels. "Life in colored squares" was released in February 2005. This album on Engineer Records was also in the main time their debut album one.
What can you expect? Six tracks (the album-art mentionnes, but actualy there are eight tracks on it - pretty weird) that will bring you to higher atmospheres, most definatly. In the sound Worlds Between Us produces, you can hear some marklines with Thrice, Poison The Well, Darkest Hour and Converge, but the band where they have most common the most inspiration of must be Refused. So if these bands sounds like love in your ears, you should try to check this band out! In order to support their upcoming album in February on Engineers, they will do an Eastern mini-Euro tour. Pretty nice album, much too short, but I think this band has a lot of potential in their battle till fame (if they not break up)!
BIGKult (http://www.bigkult.com)
WORLDS BETWEEN US may know nevertheless some our honourable reader shank. We had some time ago a meeting with that volume, in which we experienced some interesting details from their volume life. Above all also that the musical level of the austrian hard core scene nevertheless constantly rose in the last years. They deliver an exemplary example of this acceptance now with "Life in Coloured Squares".
The disk appeared to one in February on the english label Engineer records, nevertheless more large than small Indie. Worlds Between US are also an example for it that DIY nevertheless still functions, I here now mean not only in the sense of "I bekraxel my CD themselves with Adobe Photoshop", but in the sense of "independent structures cleverly use and concomitantly something create". Because WBU are everything but delicate volume, there put behind weld-rubbing work.
(I state also for the reason, because I with the rule admits am. I do not want to conceal that here also. Wurscht.) And this shows that the hard core scene in the shred country really well functioned, so far my Grossigkeit stop to also all in all judge can. To place because where Austrian Indielulubands, which are pushed at powerful expenditure by Promo agencys, still in the nothing umhergrundeln (is perhaps also because of the fact that on the wrong ones is set here again and again) to create it the gentlemen of WBU completely selfly-sufficient expanded tours by Europe on the legs. Naturally with the necessary network in the back. But conclusion with the scenes, it goes now nevertheless around the music.
WBU serve a so broad field with "Life in Coloured Squares", so that I do not want to do myself the inhuman work, a Namedropping organize, whereby they however never lose the actual from the eyes. Also at the risk to expose itself Kit: it concerns passion! The plate varies again and again between Hip - passages, those flow and nevertheless rather the popular one in their category to add are skillful verwurschteln them - and the Hop - the playfulness, above all also the Beats from the off, which we of volume like CONVERGE. About the technical experiencedness do not need I here anyway to talk, because those can be able to be seen anyway. Whether now from new, alto or middle school to is to be talked, plays here no role. That is simply good hard core as it in the year 2005 also looking has.
purerock.de (http://www.purerock.de)
One Worlds Between Us does not listen to the Austrian origin fortunately; rather they sound to the country of origin of their inspirations to Sweden or Boston -. That all together with an enormous HC (is for hard core) to be shortened the five on its debut P Life in Colored Squares on the English label Engineer can prove records.
There it does not give to be come times krachigen hard core skirt as it really better by Refused or JR Ewing can, there gives it purifies, vertrackte melody lines those mostly nothing with Metal, mostly not with Emo, but much with (ironically meanwhile classical) the new School sound of hard core of the center nineties to do has.
In addition a front man its voice comes is equally divided in rockig krakeelen and Hope Conspiracy like roars. It is most important that all six Songs go forward and throughout well fun to make.
A hopeful beginning...
Room Thirteen (http://www.roomthirteen.com/cgi-bin/cd_view.cgi?CDID=1022)
Bands seem increasingly keen nowadays to have some higher purpose; to use their platform as role models to raise awareness for some worthy cause, to educate kids, or to make profound social or political statements that make us reassess the way in which we live our lives. It's therefore nice to see a band content to simply revel in the joys of making "Modern Hardcore music"; a mission statement that 'Worlds Between Us' seem to think is more than acceptable. And I agree. They grew up listening to a selection of Converge, Poison The Well, Refused and JR Ewing; which simultaneously shows that they have rather good taste, and that they are probably quite young - JR Ewing have only been around for since 1998 themselves.
By signing to the Tunbridge Wells based Engineer records they're following in a succession of legendary underground bands, including Hot Water Music, Chamberlain, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Winter In June and Urotsukidoji (although they didn't release the great split EP between the latter two, that was Ignition...) - a fine pedigree to be sure, but a lot to live up to.
As far as expectations go, 'Worlds Between Us' are a mixed success the music on the whole is very good; a technical hardcore that sounds a lot like Deluge or perhaps even early Thrice, but suffers from an abundance of shrieking 80's guitar strikes that are peppered fairly evenly throughout. Andreas' primarily screamed vocals are excellent; you can really hear the JR Ewing influence here, but the lyrics swing between moments of real intelligence and insight "I guess this world is just a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think" and tired cliché "I'd rather be fired by a firm than by life itself". There is some appeal to the honest, conversational style that they are delivered in - you get a real feel of thoughts naturalistically being thrown down on paper as soon as they enter his head, but this sincerity sometimes feels out of place with the more pretentious sections of dialogue.
'Life In Coloured Squares' isn't too bad an effort; especially considering this is their debut album. The songs may tend to fizzle out in the second half, and those Iron Maiden guitars have to go, but Worlds Between Us do display a reasonable amount of talent that suggests this debut is merely the beginning.
Dance of Days (http://www.thedanceofdays.org)
Finally an austrian band on the british Engineer label. The music has elements of upbeat old school Hardcore as well as moshy metal stuff. I especially like the guitar work, whereas the singing and the drums get on my nerves at times. I like Worlds Between Us best, when they either play highly melodic parts or some chaotic almost Converge alike part. They would perfectly fit a billing including Nothing Gold Can Stay and Forever Ends Tonight. One more cool thing is that "Life In Colored Squares" was recorded at my friend Johannes' studio the Red Room Sound Labs and I suppose he has done a really great job here. The artwork looks topnotch once again - I guess I said the same about their demo cover, but well some things show continuity and that's good in this case.
HMP (http://www.hmp.it)
Modern and nervous Hardcore for the Worlds Between Us, band to the record but already able debut to hit the attention for a songwriting mature and a sound dynamic from the multiple sfaccettature and the strong personality. Although the hardcore matrix is clear and inconfutabile, ours do not place limits to the own writing calmly scomodando every kind that can turn out useful to express the own one wants to communicate emotions to the listener. Moments rich incedere of groove and pathos are alternated to onslaught without stopping, for a final effect strongly emotional impact that plays to confuse the ideas with the not common ability to put molding on thousand infuences in a homogenous magma, succeeding at the same time to just change the papers in table when too much obvious likeness is approached to us the location of one or of a derivativo moment. Neighbors for sensibility to the modern ones band of school Converge, ours succeed to maintain a greater connotation hardcore, want for a more nervous writing, want for a greater one use of detach and changes of time, able to break the groove with unexpected velocizzazioni to the inside of the brani. But the Worlds Between Us does not scorn neanche the digressioni in the metal purer, thanks to an effective use of melodie of guitar from the Scandinavian sapore luminosity and of unexpected melodiche openings from the epico cut, elements that are used here with maestria and do not go to excessive weight down the order of the compositions. Laddove sure drifts are today ferrying the stereotyped hardcore towards a metal and from the end too much evident infuences, the band of Life In Colored Squares succeed to operate an evolution of the sound without to lose the original attitude and the own urgency of the language speech from masters Refused. Schegge of madness to calor the white man
