Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Talk Rock - vile

10/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Talk Rock

Vile
self-released; 2014

3.6 out of 5

By Ethan Skelton


One of the biggest mistakes that any young genre-driven band can make, is letting their influences turn into step by step instructions on how to become a band, as though they were putting together a piece of Ikea furniture. And like Ikea furniture, it looks good at first, though after a short while, it starts to give out, pieces break off and it loses its showroom shine. 

This isn't necessarily a bad thing but precisely the predicament that South Dakota hard rock trio Talk Rock have gotten themselves into. The title of their second record Vile lives up to its name. The album is loud and filthy with influences that are steeped in heavy grunge riffs, muffled bass tones and drums that often sound like cannon fire. Though these adjectives could also be used to describe a whole slew of hard rock heavy bands from the past, present, and likely the future. 

Vile saw a release date less than a year after Talk Rock’s debut album Modern Gripe and though one could argue that points toward prolificacy and proficiency, when listened to side by side Vile simply sounds like a continuation of Modern Gripe though with bigger amps and the volume turned up higher. 

Vile opens with the verse chorus verse of “666 Lips,” which despite the nature of its title, comes off sounding more like a hard rock love song. Things begin to pick up with the punky Metz-inspired jam “Seven Wins For Seven Sins,” which is followed by the albums most melodic tune and highlight “Scapegoat” a song that might have sounded better as an instrumental because it lends to the band’s range of instrumentation. That being said the band bring an ample amount of energy and grit.

Ironically enough the next track “New Wrist” a fast heavy punk rock style jam session is an instrumental, though here Swank’s vocals would have been better served. A few tracks later “The River” shows promise and delivers, opening quietly and slowly with finger picked guitars, fluid bass and soft tribal drumbeats, which slowly flow, rather predictably, into the same wall of noise breakdown found on many of the previous offerings. 

"Perpetual Cryptic"  displays the band in top form as the rip through some of the most memorable riffs of the album, The frantic guitar riffs and intense drumming  during the last thirty seconds or so is not to be missed.

The final two tracks “Vile Mouth” and “Kreepen Man” contain much of the same loud guitar, bass, and drum breakdowns, which cause Vile to sound like one continuous track with an occasional three seconds of quiet in between . 

In the end, Vile is by no means a bad record (there are a number of notable songs and moments), though it is par for the course in an already oversaturated genre, which contains hundreds, if not thousands of bands who sound similar to Talk Rock. Vile established a solid foundation by displaying the bands innate chemistry and songwriting ability. If they can find that X factor that separates themselves from the masses they will be a force to be reckoned with. 
Become A Fan
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band

© Divide and Conquer 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact