bolgy99
07/17/09, 09:09 AM
Eleventh He Reaches London - Hollow Be My Name
Record Label: Good Cop Bad Cop
Release Date: March 28, 2009
Rising from the secluded city of Perth, Australia, Eleventh He Reaches London are breaking all the rules with their first full length album, Hollow Be My Name. After releasing their stunning debut The Good Fight For Harmony in 2005, they decided to delve deeper into experimentation, taking their loud, distorted blend of post-rock and screamo to new heights, breaking the shackles of genre that often restrain bands. Hollow Be My Name doesn’t need to be classified; it stands alone as an original piece of thought-provoking art.
Hollow Be My Name points the finger at figures of power, throwing blame at the government, God, and the father figure for the protagonist’s desolate, depressing life. The title track kicks off the one-hour onslaught of anger and misery, a slow drum beat setting the pace. Vocals begin as almost spoken word, but as the song picks up, the sombre voices break into a definite rhythm. The song continues to build as the vocals turn to anger, and lines are filled with loathing, “I’m allowed to curse him/if he’s the one that built me/I’m allowed to use his fucking name in vain.”
The basic structure of the title track is followed throughout most of the album, rising and falling like the sighs of impatient men trying to vent their frustrations to the listener. However, this seems to be the only dormant aspect of an ever changing sound, with each track exhibiting its individuality, its own worth, and the vast array of influences which helped create this unique album.
The vocals are a real standout throughout the album, particularly the range that is delivered throughout the album, from guttural screaming, spoken word, and the rhythmic wavering vocals resembling the likes of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, such as those in "Toorali." Not only the vocals, but the lyrics are outstanding. Eleventh He Reaches London simply don’t hold back. If they have something to say, it’s been said in this album, without mercy or a second thought.
After listening to the whole album, thinking each song was going to be the peak of the album, I noticed it never fell away. There is an intensity delivered through the slow, droning guitars and unorthodox vocals of Ian Lenton. Instead, the epic closer ‘For the Commonwealth and the Queen’ becomes one of the most memorable songs I’ve ever heard, and is probably the main reason I listen to this album repetitively. It escalates to a chaotic scene of screams, thrashing guitars, unrelenting bass and pounding drums, only to end with a beautiful post-rock style anticlimax as the instruments drop off, leaving the speakers empty and the listener reflecting on what just breached their ears.
From start to finish, Hollow Be My Name is a near infallible work of art. It’s thought-provoking, unique, and will hold the test of time, as although several of the songs make clear references to the past, its meaning is still relevant now. It's albums like this that can open your eyes to what music should be: passionate, creative, and ever progressing.
Screamo, Post-Rock
myspace.com/eleventhhereacheslondon (http://www.myspace.com/eleventhhereacheslondon)
Record Label: Good Cop Bad Cop
Release Date: March 28, 2009
Rising from the secluded city of Perth, Australia, Eleventh He Reaches London are breaking all the rules with their first full length album, Hollow Be My Name. After releasing their stunning debut The Good Fight For Harmony in 2005, they decided to delve deeper into experimentation, taking their loud, distorted blend of post-rock and screamo to new heights, breaking the shackles of genre that often restrain bands. Hollow Be My Name doesn’t need to be classified; it stands alone as an original piece of thought-provoking art.
Hollow Be My Name points the finger at figures of power, throwing blame at the government, God, and the father figure for the protagonist’s desolate, depressing life. The title track kicks off the one-hour onslaught of anger and misery, a slow drum beat setting the pace. Vocals begin as almost spoken word, but as the song picks up, the sombre voices break into a definite rhythm. The song continues to build as the vocals turn to anger, and lines are filled with loathing, “I’m allowed to curse him/if he’s the one that built me/I’m allowed to use his fucking name in vain.”
The basic structure of the title track is followed throughout most of the album, rising and falling like the sighs of impatient men trying to vent their frustrations to the listener. However, this seems to be the only dormant aspect of an ever changing sound, with each track exhibiting its individuality, its own worth, and the vast array of influences which helped create this unique album.
The vocals are a real standout throughout the album, particularly the range that is delivered throughout the album, from guttural screaming, spoken word, and the rhythmic wavering vocals resembling the likes of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, such as those in "Toorali." Not only the vocals, but the lyrics are outstanding. Eleventh He Reaches London simply don’t hold back. If they have something to say, it’s been said in this album, without mercy or a second thought.
After listening to the whole album, thinking each song was going to be the peak of the album, I noticed it never fell away. There is an intensity delivered through the slow, droning guitars and unorthodox vocals of Ian Lenton. Instead, the epic closer ‘For the Commonwealth and the Queen’ becomes one of the most memorable songs I’ve ever heard, and is probably the main reason I listen to this album repetitively. It escalates to a chaotic scene of screams, thrashing guitars, unrelenting bass and pounding drums, only to end with a beautiful post-rock style anticlimax as the instruments drop off, leaving the speakers empty and the listener reflecting on what just breached their ears.
From start to finish, Hollow Be My Name is a near infallible work of art. It’s thought-provoking, unique, and will hold the test of time, as although several of the songs make clear references to the past, its meaning is still relevant now. It's albums like this that can open your eyes to what music should be: passionate, creative, and ever progressing.
Screamo, Post-Rock
myspace.com/eleventhhereacheslondon (http://www.myspace.com/eleventhhereacheslondon)