EYES OF FIRE - Ashes to Embers

JayKeeley

Be still, O wand'rer!
Apr 26, 2002
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www.royalcarnage.com
Eyes of Fire – Ashes to Embers
Century Media
2004

1.The End Result of Falling…
2.Empty
3.Fly Away
4.Hopeless
5.Down
6.Fear
7.Breath
8.One More
9.Anyone
10.Shelter
11.Last Goodbye

This starts of by completely cloning RADIOHEAD – it’s despicable beyond words – and then collapses into a heap of inconsistency. I’m not sure if these songs were all written at different times, with different musicians, in different time zones, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what the point of all this is.

First of all, Dan Kaufman, you’re not fucking Thom Yorke so stop pretending to be. I don’t care how long you’ve been in a band, whether it be MINDROT or this pile of drivel, but a song like “The End Result of Falling…” is completely unnecessary. This songwriting style is completely synonymous with RADIOHEAD now, and in the mainstream I might add, so that’s where it should be left. This isn’t homage we’re talking about here, it’s a rip off, and you fucking know it. Why not just call the song “Exit Music (for a Film)” and be done with it. At least bands like MUSE and TRAVIS can lay claim to being a part of the Brit-Rock scene, you know, seeing that they’re actually British and all.

Bypassing the first track altogether then, the album truly starts at track #2 with “Empty”. Lots of post-80’s punk-inspired riffs and angry guttural shouting, falling into bouts of depressive medleys. It’s not bad at all funnily enough. And then all of a sudden, “Fly Away” catapults you into this horrid nu-Metal turf. “Hopeless” then starts off in an interesting pop-type fashion, almost reminding of U2, but then begins with that whole LINKIN’ PARK thing with the repetitive plinky-plonky descending scales. It does waver nicely, however, between two clean vocals styles. (Quite frankly, by this point on the album, it’s already apparent that EYES OF FIRE sound better when they’re not shouting aimlessly. This is a good vocal range, it suits the music, and it sounds like something they can claim as their own in a sea of derivative daytime rock music.)

Actually, I just remembered what this reminds me of: PASSENGER (starring you know who…). I’m sure the three of you who bought that album know what I’m talking about. It’s got that same feel to it, trying to merge something modern and slightly chaotic with the comfort zone of late-80’s rock pop. I’m sure that was quite fashionable when I got this promo all those six months ago, but like I said, I’m not sure what the point of this album is, other than a bunch of guys trying to play out everything that’s already been done in the last 10 years by corporate US rock bands who aren’t quite poppy enough to be on the radio. I have to assume there are a thousand better demo tapes sitting in label manager offices being ignored for ‘stuff’ like this.

Not that it’s fair to compare to previous bands, but since it’s being used on the press release, let me say, MINDROT this is not. Keep moving, nothing to see here…these aren’t the droids you’re looking for.

4.75/10
 
This might be my disappointment of the year (this or Terra Incognito). I wanted this to be Mindrot Part Deux so badly. But yep, Mindrot this is not.