Absent Method | ‘Reality Hurts’

One can’t help the times we live in any more than one can help the weather, which goes a long way to explaining why Northern Ireland has seen a sudden sprouting of new young bands influenced by what is currently going on in mainstream metal. To this end we have a crop of new acts who can play more than capably, who are enthusiastic, and who are getting some great productions. But at the same time, the majority of them are now playing this emotional, slightly self-indulgent whiny metal as purveyed by whoever is currently on TV these days. Absent Method claim influence from the likes of Killswitch Engage and Chimera. Having never heard either I can’t verify this, and to me, what we have here is a development on the usual Deftones and Incubus formula with a few heavier elements. The band play well and attain a good, thick, warm heavy sound.

This demo lets them down on two sizable counts however. Number one is having inexplicably selected a long and homogenous instrumental as their opening track. While moody, it goes nowhere and will only have a label A&R hitting fast forward in less time than it takes to pen a stock rejection letter. The point of an opener is to grab attention; this does the opposite. So more care with arrangement next time guys. The other flaw is the overuse of clean vocals. At the very least they should have been given more reverb, or perhaps harmonied back up. They are naked here, with all the slight pitch flaws horribly exposed; its bad stuff on occassion, and even a little effect or harmony would have soothed this no end. Put simply, I am not into this style of metal - this shoegazing-for-show stuff that is all the rage - but at the same time, the fact that these chaps can play is obvious, as is the fact that they have nice attention to tone and shade. Indeed “Presumptions”, the closer, succeeds in conjuring impressive moods. Elsewhere though the quiet/loud format is a little too obvious, and the band need to seek out a more individual attack. Zombi Safari Park have done this to good effect recently, and with continued work I have no doubt that Absent Method will rise to the challenge. Just make it HEAVIER guys… enough with the moaning. Solid for what it is, but more identity needed.

-Ciaran Tracey ::: 16/11/04