Adam KeysStarset – Vessels (Razor & Tie)
Genre – Electronic rock / alternative metal / hard rock / space rock
Ohio four piece Starset burst onto the scene with their highly acclaimed debut album Transmissions in 2014. Three years later, they return with their highly anticipated follow up – Vessels.
To say it has defied expectation is an understatement. Vessels is filled with big sounds that cross various strands of rock, taking you on a fascinating journey of radio friendly big hitters that mix electric and traditional rock sounds with aplomb.
From the opening keys of Satellite, to the thumping bass drum, and muffled lightening style effects, Vessels opens with a dark, sinister vibe, before bursting into pop style high pitched vocals. These happy, light vocals juxtapose the sonic sounds that drive the album with great effect, and show the talents of this young band. This is a band that has the unusual ability to write both pop and heavy rock songs.
Frequency takes an electronic rock approach that mixes vicious drumming with big anthemic vocals to create a track that is set up for a live light show (see below).
Ricochet on the other hand sees Starset throw in a soft, but threatening dub bass akin to the early work Skrillex put out seven years ago. It’s very much a heavy rock sound, but the dub step influence, mixed with a flurry of guitars and growling vocals takes it down an Enter Shakari path.
Starset save their heavier sounds for the second half of Vessels. Gravity Of You sees super charged guitars hit you with deep powerful bolts that marry with Dustin Bates roaring vocals.
Frequency is another anthemic number that mixes electronic, extra-terrestrial style sounds with thunderous riffs and big choruses reminiscent to the radio friendly style of 30 Seconds To Mars This Is War album. While there’s plenty of big, happy sing along choruses, the darkness of the track comes to the fore when Bates’ aggressive growls are let loose above deep, tripping electronic rock.
Starset is a band that people can expect big things of. They weren’t fazed by the second album syndrome, and while this album is brilliant on record, it will really come to life on stage.
RUSHONROCK RATED – 9/10 Freakishly fantastic
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