ENERGY “Invasions of the Mind”
As impressed with ENERGY as I am, make no mistake, this is a debut full-length through and through. ENERGY must have gotten signed because of their unique hardcore/punk sound and its potential rather than the band’s portfolio of songwriting cues, because Invasions of the Mind essentially features the same song in ten or so in mildly altered formations. At the helm are Tank’s dramatic, melodic vocals which are bellowed in a powerful stream, not unlike those of Zoli Teglas, lead singer of IGNITE. Oddly tuneful for music that normally cuts a rougher path, Tank is an x-factor, and the backing gang and chorus vocals put polish on the pig. The melodious nature of the band’s music goes hand in hand with a punk bent that is firmly in the realm of horror-themed artists AFI and THE MISFITS, but with a few back-breaking mosh parts thrown in for good measure. It’s abundantly clear that ENERGY has a foot in the hardcore scene, but their influences go beyond contemporary. The band’s green songwriting sensibilities come out several tracks into Invasions, when it’s not apparent to listener whether a song is being repeated, or just sounds a whole lot like a preceding track. With the exception of the jaw-dropping opener “Invasions,” and smashing closer “Brickstone,” only the seventh track, “Hail the Size of Grapes” makes a distinctive mark. Filler be damned, however, ENERGY simply gets by on creating a hybrid style that plays nice together.
Bridge Nine
