Premiere: This is the Last Time – Small Framed Deliberate Fast Simple Feelings
Psst, I heard you were looking for some unique riffs. We got what you need in here. As a bonus, the writers here in the toilet screwed up and BOTH Hans and I wrote a premiere, so you get two opinions for the price of one!
This is the Last Time, featuring past and current members of Sunless, Orwell, Iron Thrones, and Poney, is a breath of fresh air in the progressive instrumental realm. They take a truly unique approach, writing linearly evolving melodies that don’t need to build to crescendos because they are basically always there already. They are abundantly aware that without the hook of vocals, you need to keep the listener on unsteady ground and never let a riff become stale.
“Small Framed Deliberate Fast Simple Feelings” wastes no time getting to a frantic speed before evolving into a really catchy synth melody section. This is quickly broken up by some dissonant chords that ring out while the programmed drums do some truly wild stuff. The safe play without a drummer would have been to let the kit just support the rest of the fantastic talent on the roster, but why not go all out? For the rest of the run time, you basically get a new song every minute and a half, but each section flows into the next with perfect fluidity. It all caps off with a chillingly cathartic major-scale buzzing riff that could be the basis for a whole song by itself.
Here’s Hans’s commentary:
If I hear that a project features former members of Sunless, I’m gonna give it a go despite not being big on dissonant death metal. Always nice to hear experienced musicians explore other avenues. If I hear that an album is instrumental, my interest usually wanes as quickly as it came on. Despite vocals frequently ruining an experience, I seem to abhor their absence. If, however, that album is then described as “pop metal,” I’m (perhaps morbidly) intrigued again, especially in conjunction with that first fact. What a rollercoaster!
More Hans, on the video this time:
We’re happy to give you another glimpse of the album (two videos have already been released) today with some visuals to accompany the ironically very verbosely titled “III – Small Framed Deliberate Fast Simple Feelings.” Palpably a product of the plaguetimes, the video juxtaposes people’s naiveté about sufficient protection with “5 Minute Crafts”-style tips on masks with the harsh reality of an apartment being fumigated, all while nature enjoys the newfound peace and quiet. I think.
But enough of us, here’s what the band says:
In short, the video for SFDFSF is about the unpredictable ways that lead us to where we are supposed to be, despite our initial expectations.
This song is an exploration of change and how it relates to the path of life, both of the familiar and unexpected. We wanted to capture that feeling in the video using real vessels and showing vague generalities and tying them directly to all of our shared experiences over the pandemic years. We wanted to represent just how bizarre this time was and how clueless we all felt navigating it, while also acknowledging the humorous aspects of it all that we see in retrospect.”
If you have any interest in bands like ISIS, Year Of No Light, In Flames, BTBAM, Gorguts, and Pelican, you’ll find something to enjoy here. Acclimation is an excellent quick-burn album that leaves you wanting more, which is the perfect move for a debut. This is an instantly talented group of songwriters and I can’t wait to see how this project evolves.
Acclimation is out this Friday, pick it up on Bandcamp and other Important Links here.
