If you’re looking for cutting edge post-hardcore played with a serious intensity then look no further than ‘Vacilando’, the new album from Cologne’s City Light Thief. These eleven tracks are the perfect blend of raw passion, biting emotions and huge guitar riffs – it’s a considerable progression from the band’s previous material.
‘Battue’ opens the record impressively, and you quickly hear how capable City Light Thief are at penning a short, sharp but infectious track. The enormous guitar riff in the chorus is exciting on 1st listen and still electric on the 25th. Mix that with Benni Mirtschin’s distinctively piercing vocals and a heavy drum underlay and you have arguably the bands most accomplished track to date. From there the album really takes off, and in ‘Of Armistice’ and ‘Panica’ you have two tracks which once again raise the bar for this promising German band. They’re forceful yet accessible and the use of English lyrics and vocals will definitely allow first time listeners an easier passage here.
Whilst the bands more forceful tracks will naturally draw the attention here, some of the more memorable moments do come in the slower, more melodic songs like ‘Helicopter Youth’ and ‘Omori’. They break up the album at key moments, allowing you to take stock and admire City Light Thief’s softer under belly.
‘Vacilando’ closes out with ‘Cloudburst – Torrent’, which is more reminiscent of the City Light Thief we heard on 2011’s ‘Laviin’ than the previous ten tracks here. The spoken word bridge is particularly touching here.
City Light Thief will not shape the future of post-hardcore worldwide but they should make people sit up and pay attention to the German music scene. It’s thriving with hidden talent and I hope this album is the gateway for many more German bands to reach English ears.
TOM BECK