Klogr: Black Snow

The Italian/American outfit KLOGR (pronounced Kay-log-are) certainly aren't resting on their laurels, the band's 2012 full length debut Till You Decay being quickly followed up with an EP last year and now album number two, Black Snow. With such little downtime between releases, there was always going to be a danger that these Alt-Rock come Alt-Metallers would be favouring quantity over quality, however the evidence on this latest release suggests that the promise shown on the earlier recordings has not only been maintained, but built upon and honed. In fact, hearing the advancement between ...Decay and Black Snow suggests KLOGR really know where they're headed. Gone are a few of the over eclecticisms and the "everything and the kitchen sink" ethos heard previously, with BS instead more focused around grinding riffs and unsettlingly melodic motifs. The results are memorable, without conceding any of the challenging nature or heaviness the band have previously laid out. There's little denying that this extra focus also allows the songs to sound more organic and less forced, while still having the ability to head down unexpected and varied paths.

With three guitarists in the band, you'd expect KLOGR to hammer out some mighty fret work and so it proves, with riffs tumbling out at an alarming rate, while colour adding tricks and flicks keep you guessing. Singer Rusty (one of the three axe attackers) spits out the lyrics, bringing a vicious edginess that builds on the wall of guitars, while drummer Ste and bassist Jo combine with force to slam it all into place, both still being allowed surprising, yet welcome, room to stretch out and add new focal points as the songs progress.

Everything else also seems to have come up a notch, the vocals less scatter-gun in their attack, the drums not quite so busy as before; the lesson seemingly learned that a little less really can amount to much more. Impressively for a reasonably new act, the other aspect which stands out on Black Snow is how well it all comes together as one cohesive album, the tracks linked through sound and feel, while still strong enough to stand on their own. Whether it be the gyrating "Room To Doubt", the more straight forward "Life Is Real", or the big riff-hit of opener "Zero Tolerance", the quality control maintains an impressively high level, while the clever change of pace "Heart Breathing" offers mid-album also illustrates a band who understand pacing and dynamics.

There's still work for KLOGR to do for them to truly begin to stand out from the crowd, however if the same level of growth that has been displayed between Till You Decay to Black Snow can be replicated, then the results for album number three could be pretty special indeed.

Track Listing
1. Zero Tolerance
2. Refuge
3. Draw Closer
4. Hell Of Income
5. Life Is Real
6. Heart Breathing
7. Failing Crowns
8. Guilty And Proud
9. Plunder
10. Room To Doubt
11. Severed Life
12. Ambergris

Added: March 2nd 2014
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: KLOGR Online
Hits: 1994
Language: english

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