Another Aussie band that walks that fine line between hard alternative rock and metal. The difference here is the lineup. Amodus are three chicks playing the instruments, with a lone bloke belting out the vocals. I’m not aware of many bands with this type of lineup, especially not in the Aussie alternative scene. So this is a good point of difference for them.
As a debut long player from a young band, this is solid stuff. Everything seems to be in place: the playing is dead on the money, the production is fat and clear and they can certainly write and structure a tune. There is a strong sense of melody and dynamics at play here. And the vocals of ‘Michael’ are definitely a shining light as well, he pulls off the howling and the more delicate melodic parts with equal aplomb.
There’s also certainly a strong work ethic and dedication to the cause. Taking upon yourself to fund the recording, mastering, reproduction and promotion of a full length album with minimal to no backing from anyone is no small undertaking. This alone suggests a strong sense of belief in what you’re doing.
The lineup is pretty unique, so what these gals and guy need to do now is start to develop more of a signature sound that is all their own. There are certainly glimpses of this at times across the course of the album, such as an interesting use of strings during Mirrorvein, but there needs to be more of this. Overall there isn’t massive amounts to differentiate them from several other bands on the vibrant but oversubscribed Australian heavy alternative scene. However, this will undoubtedly come with more hard work, creativity and time.
No smoke and mirrors here, these guys are the real deal, and given a few more years they could become a serious player on the Aussie heavy music scene. A strong foundation has definitely been put in place on Smokescreen, now they need to bring it to full fruition.
http://www.reverbnation.com/amodus