What, are we running so low on new band names that even adverbs are now in play? As far as monikers go, Soon is the blandest I’ve seen since Accept… and I fuckin’ love Accept. But this Carolina outfit, which includes a couple dudes from emo indie rockers The Love Language, might be more like the second coming of The Sword—what with all the scorn and derision those guys got in their early years.
Likewise, Soon offers up a somewhat lighter take on doom, although there seems to be no lovely language here. “We Are On Your Side” hits you with one heavy-ass riff right off the bat, with the soaring, lazy vocals of Dead Meadow or Quest For Fire coming in for a lighter verse. In fact, this song is somewhat reminiscent of some of the heavier moments offa QFF’s debut… and I loved me some Quest For Fire, back in the day.
“Burning Wood” has a similar structure of softer verse/heavy chorus, and once again, the heavy riffs here really pack a wallop. Nice to see ‘em pick up the pace a bit on “See You Soon”—which, again, is awfully reminiscent of Quest For Fire, albeit with a bit more crunch. And when “Gold Soul” adds an orchestral flourish to its headbangable intro, it’s a welcome change of pace. My main concern is that so many of these song structures seem somewhat similar.
And the second half is noticeably softer. “Mauveine” sounds like it belongs on a Love Language LP, while the tribal drums and group chants of “Datura Stramonium” underpin a shoegazy sort of atmosphere. Still, it’s a pretty promising debut.
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