I have to admit to having one hell of a soft spot for Equal Vision. Generally, they seem to have such a high standard of releases steadily streaming through to the masses. Looking at previous high profile efforts such as Bear Vs Shark, Coheed & Cambria and Armor for Sleep, the label is a fantastic breeding ground for something to get the melodic juices running and Michigan six piece Chidos are hoping to follow in their contemporaries footsteps with this thirteen track offering. The music isn’t quite as bread & butter as some of their predecessors though. Combining a mix of keyboards (more on that later) duel vocals, screaming, singing and all manor of pace shifting it is something which needs to be heard first hand to really gain a feel of what the band can produce.
Beginning with the silky yet gruff ‘All Nereids Beware’ it lays down the blueprint of what is to come as a cacophony of noise and emotion clash with polished production to create an interesting melting pot of contrasting idea’s. It is also a cracking introduction to the vocals of frontman Craig Owens as well. His highs and lows would put many other-a-vocalist to shame, but if the vocals add a certain charisma to proceedings, it is the keyboards of Bradley Bell which give it an extra edge over other bands doing similar things. Using ‘Expire in Goreville’ as an example, the twinkling of ivories creates an atmospheric edge to the rather heavy sound created by the remaining four members which adds a cracking dimension to what would otherwise by post hardcore by numbers. Like Since by Man, the electronic edge seems to make them stand out from the pack just enough to warrant further listening.
Admittedly though, there are many a cliched element to “All’s Well that Ends Well”. The classic scream/sing structure is present and can infuriate at times (especially when the ‘singing’ vocals are generally top notch). The album also loses its way somewhat as time passes, but such nuisances can be ignored when admiring the aforementioned efforts, plus other stunners in the form of ‘There’s No Penguins in Alaska‘ and the heavier ‘Baby, You wouldn’t last a minute on the Creek’. But Equal Vision have once again surpassed themselves by picking up a very promising band and producing a record to be proud of. And with a little hard work and a couple of well placed tours, they could be a permanent fixture on many a mans stereo.
Jay
www.chiodos.net
Equal Vision Records