5/5 Stars
Well, I'm hooked. I just got my copy of Signum A.D.'s new E.P. "Veto The Vultures: Volume 1", and I never expected to say this, but for once an E.P. doesn't feel too short. That isn't to say I'm against them releasing Volume 2, because lord knows I'd be s.a.d. (poorly thought out pun intended) if they didn't, but as far as this one goes they managed to pull off a very full sounding and well produced E.P., something that is rare these days when it comes to partial releases.
I'm going to start with my complaint because I want it understood that while it bothers me a little, I don't feel it damages the album, and in fact adds to it in some cases: I could admittedly do with a bit less shouting as a lot of rock artists in the last decade feel like that's the only way to express emotion, sort of in the same way that so many rap and pop artists have started resorting to Auto-tune for everything. It carries itself through just fine, but it does wear on the senses a little if there isn't some sort of interval (general comment, not saying this occurs for me on the E.P. as they were smart enough to provide said intervals with their singing). I wouldn't mind so much under other circumstances, but as stated a lot of bands choose to do it now so the market is over saturated, meaning even good uses make me a bit uneasy.
Now the good: The first single off the album, "Chemical Lifeline" makes for a strong starting track with some fantastic guitar riffs and sets the tone for the majority of the songs. Style-wise, think of a mix of Shinedown, Hinder, Rev Theory, and Black Stone Cherry. It still felt very much like a different band, it wasn't like I was sitting there going "oh, this is the same thing as _______", but there were still elements that felt inspired by them. My favorite song right now is "Pray For Me", which is probably one of the most unique tracks on the album as it incorporates a lot of modern rock feel in the main sections, while the chorus lyrically and instrumentally made me think more of 80's rock. There are what sound like a few synth effects used throughout the E.P., mainly as background pieces, but this song showcases the best uses. As crazy as it may seem, this in ways came across to me as a combination of Journey, Genesis, Three Days Grace, and Shinedown, in all the right ways. Feel free to argue the merit of my comparisons when the E.P. drops on August 21st, until then though, just trust that this is one of the best modern rock releases of the year and well worth a listen, or 50. Well done Signum A.D..
Tracklist:
1. Chemical Lifeline
2. Let It All Out
3. Blame Me
4. Pray For Me
5. Like An Animal
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