Band â€â€œ The Truth About Comets
Ep â€â€œ Untitled
Label â€â€œ none (EP was produced by Down I GO drummer Ben Standage)
Release date â€â€œ now. Available for purchase from the band’s myspace for £3.
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Metal: it’s great isn’t it? Sure, there have been ups and downs (see the date Korn’s self-titled album was released) but with nu-metal finally dead and buried (although no-one seems to have told Disturbed) it’s time to make way for the new-wave of bands that can lead us to the promised land. Down I Go, Rolo Tomassi, Johnny Truant and Scream! Shout! Say Nothing are among some of the bands that have really made names for themselves over the last year or so; each with their own style and brand of popping the listeners eardrums. This is where The Truth About Comets step in. If you’re a fan of the aforementioned acts, then you may well have found (in the words of the Hives) ‘your new favourite band.’
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The first thing you immediately notice is the vocals. Frontman Pete Daplyn possesses the sort of screaming voice that could cut diamonds. It’s a piercing, agonizing squeal – like a pig being given a red hot poker enema. For the most part, it’s completely incomprehensible; hey he could be reading the football scores for all we know, or reciting the plot to Jurassic Park 4. But that doesn’t matter, because guess what? It works. Remember Botch? They were a bit fucking good, right? Well, The Truth About Comets are as well. The abrasive, discordant riffs, scattered time signatures and stop-start drumming equal, if not better the influential Tacoma 4 piece. Even on ‘Smokey Shoots The Bandit’ you can hear the ghost of ‘To Our Friends In The Great White North’ ripping through the speakers as the see-saw guitar tone jerks about like a manic depressive taking a bath with his toaster. The last 2 minutes are absolutely incredible â€â€œ building up this enormous layer of sound that is only tempered by the calm and unexpected ending, with vocalist Peter altering his trademark glass-shattering squeak, to something considerably somber.
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On ‘Don’t Panic’ the guitars jerk and spasmodically twist and turn like being trapped on a rollercoaster with an epileptic serial killer. It drops somewhere with the sound of Dillinger Escape Plan, whilst taking significant notes from the sound of early Fear Before The March of Flames (‘Art Damage’ in particular).
The wonderful sing/scream chorus on ‘Eyes Roll Back’ may detract slightly from the math-template the band has built for itself, but it works in showing their dexterity in being able to change and develop their already potent and complex traits. I would say these areas are the most interesting of TTAC’s sound: It shows how well they can juxtapose both ferocity and agitation, along with melody and a somewhat sincere attitude. The mosh break at the 2.40 mark heralds one of the sickest passages of relentless sound I’ve heard in ages â€â€œ an explosive blast of terrifying noise in which the rhythm section erupts, drawing comparisons with the thunderous drumming of Some Girls and even Lightning Bolt.
The verdict then? The Truth About Comets are well worth investigating â€â€œ a fantastic math metal-meets-hardcore racket that should no doubt appeal to those who endure constant neck-ache after every gig they go to.
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Links
The Truth About Comets Myspace
THR33 Designs
Down I Go
Ben Standage
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By Ross Macdonald
Lizard Hips
Junior Vice President of Keep It Fast. In other news: I work in social media, talk about dinosaurs, run a book club and have amazing facial hair. I am also a male man who is still not dead.
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