Review: Abrams ‘Loon’
I first became aware of Denver’s Abrams when I reviewed their last release, Blue City,two years ago for The Sleeping Shaman. It has remained a record that I listen to ever since, so the excitement of a new album and an upcoming appearance at Desertfest London later in the year prompted me to pick up this one to review.
They open with Glass House, a punchy, fiery song that sees the band taking on a new direction in their composition and songwriting. As guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster says, their ‘goal is to evolve and not write the same record over and over again’,and Loon sees them become more aggressive and deliver heavier tracks than before. White Walls has a soaring rhythm crawling all over Taylor Ivesen’s heavy bass, allowing Amster’s vocals to take centre stage, but it’s clear that they are pissed off.
The middle section is awesome, as they release their fury on the world with a series of frenzied and pulsating notes, and it’s a proper earworm which leads into Last Nail. You’ll be instantly hooked by the striking melody combined with the powerful drum beat from Ryan DeWitt, as it signals further intent of where this album is heading. Increasingly, the vocals are coming to the fore, as Amster said that ‘this is the most confident I have felt performance wise’with darker elements being evident on Said & Done, demonstrating a more volatile and angrier frontman.
absorbing and impactful album from a band who are going from strength to strength…
It’s another brilliant song, as all four members express themselves fully. It is followed by Waves, which has a slightly slower tempo but still has that forceful melody and dramatic guitar loops from Amster and Graham Zander. There’s a prominent and hypnotic bass sound during How Did I Lose My Mind, it carries the song as it pulls you in closer before they unleash a menacing rhythm. Whereas A State Of Mind is cleaner, fresher, even poppier in parts, with a hint of fuzz on the guitars like a throwback to a bygone era.
The single guitar intro to Home allows the striking vocal to shine before the noise powers through. The pattern is repeated but with a commanding drum beat, adding to the forceful nature of another moody song before Remains bounces along and erupts during the chorus. This is a number you won’t forget in a hurry, and for all the right reasons, as it’s superb from start to finish. They end with Sirens, a song full of melody with an introspective ambience about it, which completes another absorbing and impactful album from a band who are going from strength to strength.
Label: Blues Funeral Recordings
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
