RingsBlack Habit
(01.2008, Paw Tracks)
Verdict: I want to love this album, it's just impossible
Rings is an all girl noise outfit out to blow your mind. Only problem is, although the intentions are apparent, they never quite get to mind blowing capacity. They flirt with groundbreaking, hold hands with progressive, and possibly peck the forehead of genius, but this babe just can't seem to score. Black Habit is a spooky swirly patchwork of primal drumming, resonating guitars, slight keyboards and a heavy layer or chanting or sparse timid and piercingly annoying vocals that seem incredibly forced. The album is mastered strangely which makes the whole of it seem a little empty and bewitching. I would have liked a more full sound occasionally, particularly after tense dark electric and drum buildups. There are so many promising aspects of this album, but I can't say I enjoy it. It leaves me hoping for more. Possibly if we see a sophomore release from Rings at some point in time it will accomplish what Black Habit set out to do and relieve me in my wanton wishes.
-Sassigrass
Rings - "Mom Dance"
3 comments:
Is the reason you think they're out to blow your mind is because they're a noise band? If so, I would say that that's not always the primary objective of all noise bands. Also, I haven't heard anything from this album yet, but seeing that they're on Paw Tracks make me think more experimental than noise. So I guess it's possible that may have been trying to meld some genres. But again, you've listened to the album and I haven't.
I guess I don't really believe in "experimental" as a genre, more as a despritor that can be applied to any kind of music. Rings is "experimental" for sure, but I also think they have definite noise elements. And by that I mean that they aren't out to make melodies and structurally sound compositions, just noise and/or experiments in noise. I thiink that those two genres meld in more instances than not. Listen to the album and you can decide for yourself what it is. Cause I obviously can't give it justice of description through writing.
I agree with Sassigrass on this one. Rings have all the elements that should combine to create a good experiemental band. Some of them (tribal drumming, multi tracked erthereal vocals) are even verging on trendy nowadays. But something about the release falls flat. I think the verdict here says it all...
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