Pinwheel
The guys in Minneapolis based Pinwheel recently got in touch, letting us know about their latest album, Reset, to see what we thought about things. Describing their sound as aggressive, boundary-testing aberration, the band go on to say that they are tightly-executed and atmospherically jarring – suggesting that this is going to be one hell of an album to check out. I hit play to see what was on offer.
Opening with Orgone we’re immediately thrown into a melee of hard rock and industrial elements, the mix forming into something which is heavy, dark and powerful – yet layered in such a way that you can hear everything going on, appreciate all of the different elements and simply allow yourself to become immersed in the mix. The contrast between the fuzzy music and the crisp vocals adds a further sense of layering to things, suggesting that there’s a quality about this track which will get people singing along, joining in and wanting more. Reset continues this idea further, this time basing the track around the roving bass line and crafting a sound which is distorted yet once again, clean enough to appreciate everything that’s going on around it. Harking back to the likes of Cold and similar in some elements, there’s a real sense of melody flowing through the powerful mix, once again throwing up a track which is going to be accessible to a wide range of listeners, the sort of thing which appeals to fans of rock and metal yet also holds that mass appeal which so many bands strive to achieve.
Lie Awake continues to push the boundaries of the album, once again following on with much the same outlook as the previous tracks but still managing to add in a sense of fresh and new appeal, once again managing to grab your attention from the moment it begins and keep you hooked in until the second the track comes to a close. Couple this track with Die Laughing, Stagnate, In Hand and Welcome and the result is an album which seems to move through different moods, each track coming with a slightly shifted outlook but a remaining sense that this is a band that know what they’re doing, understand their music, and know how to provide the listener with what they want to hear. It’s when Casualty comes into being though that a serious high point on the album is achieved, a moment that’s going to stand out as one to return to, and a track which stands the band out as one to check out. The dark bass and guitar combination of this track is quite simply sublime, managing to form into a sound which holds power, melody and darkness by the balls and thrusts it in your face – definitely one of my favourite tracks off of the album.
Distress manages to mark a shift in things once again, this time focusing on the industrial outlook of the band once again to craft a track which brings about images of metal forging plants, darkness and a shining light in the form of Pinwheel. Harking towards the likes of A Perfect Circle, Tool and Nine Inch Nails, there’s a real contrast running through this track from the dark backing music to the soaring vocal line, once again marking this as a track to make sure you check out if you get a chance. Shifting to a more upbeat approach for Playground as the penultimate track on the album, the jumpy bass line which gets things going ushers in a sense of safety and understanding, then shifts everything as the vocals once again come in to shift the mood sideways. Emotionally charged throughout and once again, oozing with power, the penultimate track on this record presents us with one of the most unclear moments – in a positive way. The fact that the track keeps you guessing from start to finish means you can’t help but listen, it’s impossible to do anything other than simply listen, think and reflect on what you’re hearing, another quality moment.
Closing the album with To The Moon we’re left on an off clean note, finishing the album with another emotionally charged track designed to provoke your thoughts and leave you helpless to resist the melodies of the band. Combining the acoustic guitar with a soaring lead line behind the scenes, the dramatic opening moments of the track build it up, pull you in, and finish on a high. It’s as the album comes to a close that the full strength of it is realised, leaving you wanting more, wondering why you’ve not heard the band before, but knowing that the last 11 tracks have been damned good.
Pinwheel don’t give a lot away about what to expect from their music in their bio, so going into the album I was open to what I was going to hear and unsure of what I was going to think – the result though is spectacular. Don’t consider this an album you listen to, think of it as an arrangement, a selection of tracks which pull you through an emotional journey, each one coming and bringing about a new outlook or mood to take on board. Definitely a band to make sure you check out – and one we need to get over here pretty damned soon.
To find out more about Pinwheel, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls.
Opening with Orgone we’re immediately thrown into a melee of hard rock and industrial elements, the mix forming into something which is heavy, dark and powerful – yet layered in such a way that you can hear everything going on, appreciate all of the different elements and simply allow yourself to become immersed in the mix. The contrast between the fuzzy music and the crisp vocals adds a further sense of layering to things, suggesting that there’s a quality about this track which will get people singing along, joining in and wanting more. Reset continues this idea further, this time basing the track around the roving bass line and crafting a sound which is distorted yet once again, clean enough to appreciate everything that’s going on around it. Harking back to the likes of Cold and similar in some elements, there’s a real sense of melody flowing through the powerful mix, once again throwing up a track which is going to be accessible to a wide range of listeners, the sort of thing which appeals to fans of rock and metal yet also holds that mass appeal which so many bands strive to achieve.
Lie Awake continues to push the boundaries of the album, once again following on with much the same outlook as the previous tracks but still managing to add in a sense of fresh and new appeal, once again managing to grab your attention from the moment it begins and keep you hooked in until the second the track comes to a close. Couple this track with Die Laughing, Stagnate, In Hand and Welcome and the result is an album which seems to move through different moods, each track coming with a slightly shifted outlook but a remaining sense that this is a band that know what they’re doing, understand their music, and know how to provide the listener with what they want to hear. It’s when Casualty comes into being though that a serious high point on the album is achieved, a moment that’s going to stand out as one to return to, and a track which stands the band out as one to check out. The dark bass and guitar combination of this track is quite simply sublime, managing to form into a sound which holds power, melody and darkness by the balls and thrusts it in your face – definitely one of my favourite tracks off of the album.
Distress manages to mark a shift in things once again, this time focusing on the industrial outlook of the band once again to craft a track which brings about images of metal forging plants, darkness and a shining light in the form of Pinwheel. Harking towards the likes of A Perfect Circle, Tool and Nine Inch Nails, there’s a real contrast running through this track from the dark backing music to the soaring vocal line, once again marking this as a track to make sure you check out if you get a chance. Shifting to a more upbeat approach for Playground as the penultimate track on the album, the jumpy bass line which gets things going ushers in a sense of safety and understanding, then shifts everything as the vocals once again come in to shift the mood sideways. Emotionally charged throughout and once again, oozing with power, the penultimate track on this record presents us with one of the most unclear moments – in a positive way. The fact that the track keeps you guessing from start to finish means you can’t help but listen, it’s impossible to do anything other than simply listen, think and reflect on what you’re hearing, another quality moment.
Closing the album with To The Moon we’re left on an off clean note, finishing the album with another emotionally charged track designed to provoke your thoughts and leave you helpless to resist the melodies of the band. Combining the acoustic guitar with a soaring lead line behind the scenes, the dramatic opening moments of the track build it up, pull you in, and finish on a high. It’s as the album comes to a close that the full strength of it is realised, leaving you wanting more, wondering why you’ve not heard the band before, but knowing that the last 11 tracks have been damned good.
Pinwheel don’t give a lot away about what to expect from their music in their bio, so going into the album I was open to what I was going to hear and unsure of what I was going to think – the result though is spectacular. Don’t consider this an album you listen to, think of it as an arrangement, a selection of tracks which pull you through an emotional journey, each one coming and bringing about a new outlook or mood to take on board. Definitely a band to make sure you check out – and one we need to get over here pretty damned soon.
To find out more about Pinwheel, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls.
