SLAVES
TO FASHION - Artistic Differences (2011)
Hands of Blue Records
Norway’s SLAVES TO FASHION are generally labeled a
progressive rock/metal band. The description is fair enough, but it doesn’t
capture every aspect of their music, nor does it place them in any more precise
category. I can’t offer a tighter definition either, because with their debut
full-length album, “Artistic Differences”, the band has shaped a thoroughly
personal sound that sets them apart.
There are skeptics who believe the contemporary music
scene has little left to offer. The best way to change their minds is to have
them listen to a release like this one. SLAVES TO FASHION weave an abundance of
musical ideas and genres into a result that is both beautiful and homogeneous,
balancing energy with enchanting melodic lines. Rather than sounding like a
patchwork of influences, the album feels unified, with each idea serving the
song it belongs to.
The song structures, riffs and melodies are memorable
enough to draw the listener back to the play button again and again. The
choruses are catchy, and the tunes and lyrics linger in the mind for hours
after the album has finished. The arrangements reward repeated listening too,
since new details surface with each return.
The technical side is equally strong. The production
is crystal clear and dynamic, giving every instrument room to breathe, and the
band is made up of highly talented musicians. The vocalist deserves particular
mention: his passionate, emotive delivery lifts the songs even further and
gives the album much of its emotional weight.
For anyone seeking music that is melodic yet catchy,
and that marries the past with the present and the future, “Artistic
Differences” is a release that can bring that search to an end.
Christine
Parastatidou
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