CD Review: Final Coil - Persistence Of Memory (Alt-progressive Metal, 2017)

A dark toned alt progressive album with lots of details to discover and a lyrical concept
that provides a critical look upon our technical overloaded existence.

This album comes around a bit different than the previous recordings. The first full length goes a different way to keep you on the stereo while listening.

The artwork of Final Coil's debut full lenth "Persistence Of Memory", (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

Summary and Track by track review
First of all it kicks in with the well known heavyness of the previous EP "Closed To The Light" just to throw you into cold water with softer and fragile vocals. These elements need a moment to sink in but we'll see later why it makes sense to be this way. "Corruption" is a great opener and introduction anyway.

The following "Dying" comes around with a simpler structure and feels familar, yet it also is not so straight as other tracks of Final Coil. The more rounds you'll give this the more you'll enjoy the atmosphere and details in this song.

"Alone" variates a lot throughout it's duration, while the basic riff is kept simple. It reminds of the first ever EP of the band but with better vocals.

A touch of Depeche Mode reaches your ears with the next one. The second single "You waste my time" comes with pop appeal yet it's much more dirty and rough than songs from that style.

A surprise is send our way with "Myopic". This is going back to the heavy formula, yet it's structure builds tension just to stop at it's climax. Great tune and fat production.

A band picture of the Leicester based band Final Coil, (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

If you started to discover the band while they put out the "Live with doubt" EP you'll love "Spider Feet". It has lot's of the music of that release. A hard tonality mixed with soft notes in the verses just to give you a blast with it's long and stretched refrain. One of my faves of the record.

The best is yet to come. This saying comes true with "Failed Light". It's epicness is a love letter to the beginnings of progressive music in days when Pink Floyd started to record music. It's giving me chilling freeze and lot's of noise tension in the end. One of the best tracks ever written IMHO.

"Lost Hope" provides what the song title promises. Sweet and slow suffering mixed with melodies sounding like lost in the haze.

The rough edge returns with "Moths to the flame". A cutting riff runs through this one. It's definitely for the fans of early material of the band.

Want more riffs? You got it! "In silent reproach" has a propeller rotating riff shaker with it. The drums kick heavier in here. Something less often to be found on "Persistence of Memory".

The album is closed with a silent number called "Alienation". Musically I would compare it with the "Somnambulant" accoustic sessions. A piece of music deeply rooted in thoughts and emotions yet the end holds something like a "won't give in" sound with it.

Finally the question: has the band become soft and are the vocals too easy?
I think it was the best decision to keep a eye on change and progression. Life is change. Everything is changing. I would've been silly to keep it all the same. As for me the band has found a way to maintain the hard riffs but to build  them into the music a intelligent way to give room for atmosphere and darkness.

The vocals are lighter most of the album but looking at the lyrical concept of digital distortion and destruction of humans (my interpretation of the lyrics) other styles wouldn't have fit. It's about hurt and regret so this needs to be expressed properly in my ears.

Finally I would recommend this record to you but listen to it on a real stereo system. The full ingridents only come to life with a extended sound system. All the laptop and smartphone stuff I tried never provided the full listening experience. Don't worry: a normal stereo system of a basic range already fit's your needs. Just make sure it has sharp sound and good bass sound available.

Album Stream / Purchase Link / Contact Data
It's a treat of great music recorded and mixed for full audio pleasure so it's worth giving back with some money. Remember that music can give you enjoyment for years if treated a good way. Few things in life will do the same for you.

The digital release is available via Bandcamp as of today. The CD version looks gorgeous but will be released September 22th. Pre-order packs of the physical edition with T-Shirts and more goodies will be set up earlier to the release date of the CD version. Just make sure to like the band's Facebook page to be notified or have a look on their homepage the good old way.

Final Coil reveal bombastic lyric video along detailed album info

This particular day I've been gifted with the great news that Leicester based alt-prog formation Final Coil give us the first insight into what is going to be their debut record. Being a band that's been on my radar for a long time now they pushed me a bit further into their sound with every release. It's amazing to feel how much music can move in your mind and this band has brought a lot of topics to the table that I think need to be discussed. 

But enough of my intoduction let's have it. It's a long read but one worth it. The band reveals a lot of snippets and details that I hope you people out there will find as exciting as I am about it. If you prefer listening to music over reading just scroll down to the very end of this article - there's a massive lyric video worth every second of your time there for you.

The bandmembers of Final Coil, (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

Signing to Label, Cover, Release Date and Tracklist
 
Final Coil have signed a deal with WormHoleDeath records for the release of their debut album "Persistence of Memory".

Final Coil Persistence of Memory album cover, (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

Release dates
Digital release date : 23rd June 2017 (Wormholedeath/The Orchard)
U.S.A : 14th July 2017 (Wormholedeath U.S.A.)
CD release date : 22nd September 2017 (Aural Music Group)
Japan : TBA (Wormholedeath Japan/DiskUnion)

Tracklist
1. Corruption
2. Dying
3. Alone
4. You Waste My Time
5. Myopic
6. Failed Light
7. Spider Feet
8. Lost Hope
9. Moths To The Flame
10. In Silent Reproach
11. Alienation

About "Persistence of Memory" - Lyric Concept about the impact of modern technology

Produced by Italian producer Wahoomi Corvi (CreTura, The Way Of Purity) at Real Sound Studios and mastered by Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna, Heads, Closet Disco Queen) at Redmount Studios in Stockholm, Persistence of Memory is the debut album from UK alternative rock / prog band Final Coil set for release via Worm Hole Death Records.

An eleven-track album loosely based around the theme of lost communication and dehumanisation in the face of an ever-increasing wave of technological innovation, Persistence of memory is a dark, hallucinatory journey into a world of broken familial ties, savage regret and seething rage against the dying of the light.

Song description
 
Moving deftly from the sonic firestorm of opening number Corruption (a song juxtaposing physical and moral corruption set against crushing, juggernaut riffs) to the Floydian disquiet of Alienation, Persistence of memory is an album of contrasts which finds its centrepiece in the progressive epic Failed light, a song that focuses on finding hope amidst the desolation.  A deeply personal piece of music, frontman Phil Stiles states simply that “failed light is the best thing I have ever written – of all the songs on the album, this was the one we had to get right.”  At ten minutes, it is a lengthy work that ebbs and flows beautifully and it sees Phil and lead guitarist Richard Awdry trading solos and vocal harmonies in a manner that will have fans of Anathema and Pink Floyd in raptures.

Other highlights on the album include the synth-infused you waste my time with its stinging lyric focusing on self-absorption, the brooding Spider Feet (one of two songs written by guitarist Richard Awdry) and the desolate finale of alienation, a track that shifts from Phil’s heart-broken and vulnerable lyric to a truly gargantuan tsunami of arcing riffs that close the album with dizzying power.

Album tracked through analogue equipment
 
Another aspect of “getting it right” was the band’s insistence on keeping the use of computers to a minimum. The band tracked the album through a beautifully restored analogue mixing desk at Real Sound Studios in Langhirano (Northern Italy) under the guidance of Wahoomi Corvi. “Wao was totally understanding from the start” says Phil of his relationship with the producer. “He was more used to producing metal bands, but when we played him the demos he realised straight away that we needed a warmer, more analogue sound and he worked hard with us to get good takes rather than edit us into perfection.”

Mastering done with a different intention
 
Similarly, the choice of mastering engineer was crucial. For Phil, there was only one choice: “I’ve been a huge fan of Cult of Luna for a long time, and last year I discovered albums by the bands Heads and Closet Disco Queen pretty much because they had worked with Magnus. Magnus understands the importance of a dynamic master and that was essential to me. So many records now are mastered to be as loud as hell, whereas I wanted people to be able to enjoy the space in the music and, if they want it loud, all they have to do is turn it up!”

Music as a journey
 
An emotionally-charged debut album, Persistence of Memory is the work of a passionate, sonically ambitious band who draw upon elements of progressive, post-rock, metal and alternative rock to create something truly innovative. For Phil the album “was the chance of a life-time. We worked incredibly hard to make the album flow from start to finish because we want the music to take the listener on a journey. Since I was very young, I would get goose bumps listening to records and just letting the music take me away from the real world for a short time, and I hope that our listeners can find the same escape in our music.”

Video single in a most expressive combination of words, music and pictures
 
Can't wait to hear something for yourselves? Have a listen right here right now with the opening track "Corruption" packed in a beautiful picture and expression-ladden lyric video. Make sure to follow Final Coil on Facebook.

Final Coil release thought-filled animation lyric video

Lyric videos have become something that a lot of bands do these days. It's simply cheaper than doing a full blown video but at the same time is not as boring as a standing picture with sound in the backround would be.

But how about making the best of it and do something with a message that goes a bit over the obvious animated lyrics that come with every of these vids? At least there is room to show something off if you really want to.

The metallic-grunge band Final Coil have let this idea become reality. In collaboration with Andy Pilkington they created a lyric video that comes with a message and some visual expression of the lyrics as well as putting in the rawness of the music in wave-forms. You can not only hear but see the tension that the ripping guitars and tight drums create. It really leaves something behind once you've watched it.

"Daylight Fades" is taken from the band's current output "Closed to the light". You can download the whole EP for free from Bandcamp. It's also one of the releases that's worth some money and while I'm typing these lines a limited edition CD is still up for purchase for a fair price on Bandcamp. 
 
Don't forget to follow the band on Facebook and check them out live at TBFM’s Christmas party at Duffy’s Bar in Leicester, England on Dec 3rd 2015. No entrance fee will be taken so it sounds like it could be a great chance to check them out along with two more bands on the billing.

CD Review: Final Coil - Closed To The Light

Band Introduction

Final Coil are a metallic grunge band located at Leicester, England. They've put out various EPs / albums on Bandcamp which all represent a own style the band is capable to play so if you listen to the various stuff you'll be surprised to hear how different they can sound like.

The "Somnambulant" record they've put out in 2014 saw the band going into a acoustic direction offering very sensible and deeply-emotional songs. In the time between "Failed Lights", a brand new and in my ears excellent acoustic song saw the light of day on YouTube, it's a recording of a web-broadcast the band did a while ago.

Only few details on the next record were spread through Facebook in the meantime. But this will end today....

(c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission

Summary / Purchase-Link

Having heard the songs I've talked about above I was absolutely sure that the band would come around with another acoustic record. The new track sounded like a perfect fit, a bridge between the "Somnambulant" tunes and the beginning of a more progressive era of new longer acoustic tracks held in the typical Final Coil style.

The cool thing is: everything about this was totally wrong. :-) In fact what can be heard right here is the heaviest stuff the band has come up with today. I would call it the heaviest songs the band has put out up to this point. The guitars are absolutely sharp and ripping everything to pieces that stands in their way. Meanwhile the drums and bass guitar maintain a fine note of rhythm, giving in a hard, dry and deep punch into the sound. The vocals put a perfect layer over this, transporting much of the emotions of the tracks.

Everything is held in a very tight style, it's crushing heavyness coming from every corner of the sound. It doesn't even leave a single chance of easy sound on most of the tracks (the last song is a exception from that). If you like your music heavy and ultratight this EP will make you more than happy.

In fact I would call this a mixture of the first EP "Goodbye to all that" and their second effort "Live with doubt". Don't miss out this gem. The EP will be released on 2. November 2015. You'll be able to get a free listen / download for a first spin over at Bandcamp starting at that day. There will also be a limited edition CD available. Please buy one of the CDs so underground bands can keep making music and move on. It's worth listening to it numerous times, a EP mixing up all the various styles of the band and bringing them out in the most beautiful form. Progression and heavyness in all of it's beauty.

Player 

The fine thing as of today is that Heavy Metal Underdogs can give you exclusively a first listen of one of the tracks of the brand new EP. I'm very proud that the band picked my blog for this song premiere. It's a honour for me. So without further ado enjoy the track "Daylight Fades" right here.


Track-by-track review

A short intro called "Close to the light" gives in some atmospheric touches with guitar effects and some vocal extracts before a sharp guitar cut comes rushing in quickly leading over to the first full track.

While the first track "Daylight Fades" starts with a simple rhythm it becomes quickly clear that the band had a hard sound in mind when writing this track. The repeating of the text is a kicker in my ears. Especially the second "can't" repeated several times makes this harking back to your mind. Some of the guitar sounds even remind me of good old Jimi Hendrix and his special sound effects. The bridge between the first refrain and the second refrain could easily be described as a sonic guitar bomb. I love this effect! The end of this first song offers a compressed part that only slightly let's room for variations but those played kick the number up even higher. it's like a glimpse of light falling out of a dark mass shaping a form into the darkness for just a few moments but long enough to keep you longing for more.

"Goodybe to all that" picks up where "Daylight Fades" left off, showing what the band is able to do with re-writting a classic track. This incarnation of the track features a much more compressed and heavy guitar sound compared to the original track. Besides that it leaves away most of the playing effects of the 2010 release giving a sharper focus on the main-theme of the song. It shows impressively that reduction can be a fine way of giving a track a new and much heavier interpretation. Nevertheless it doesn't mean the song works only with cutting away things. Moreover these elements were added back again but in a different and harder format. It's now all distorted, yet you will need some fine playing skills to get to replay this I'm sure.

The final track "Closed to the light" is a surprise to the listener. It stands out of the other material giving some redemption after the brutal heavyness that stormed through your ears before. The song starts out softly with some drums and few vocals. The volume is rising all the while as the music slowly starts to build up more. The tonality is set softer, more dreamingly at this point. Much room for the more progressive site of the band on this one. This touches softly the "Somnabulant" era but with more punch and drums before some slightly heavy guitars keep coming in. The vocals are very intense with much drum fills performed to the last silent corners of the song. The last third brings in some heavyness in the guitar section giving some thoughts to the legendary Pink Floyd. A epic masterpiece in my ears. After all I'm listening to the whole record on repeat. It's a big pleasure to have the chance to listen to such a talented band.