Thir13en
Bootzie from Workington based Thir13en recently got in touch about their debut album, Live Forever, to see what we thought of it. Describing themselves as an industrial band without a drummer, these guys have already notched up some serious achievements on the live scene, opening the UK tour for Aesthetic Perfection from the US. Based on this, and the live review on their FB page, I figured I’d check this out to try and make some sense of a band without a drummer!
Opening with Graveyard Technology, everything is very odd! Opening with radio sound effects, there’s a sense that something is approaching, you just can’t place exactly what it is! Soon enough though, it’s apparent, a screeching guitar line underpinned with a heavy bass line and electronic drums – this is seriously heavy stuff, yet there’s no drummer! Fading the vocals in to being over the distorted backing music, everything takes full form, once again using the electronic drums to create a sense of pace and rhythm through everything. There’s a real sense of PitchShifter running through this, it’s the same sort of style and vocal inspirations. I can imagine that this is the sort of thing which works insanely well on the live scene, it’s got that bass heavy beat which is going to get live crowds going mental.
I Am Wolf follows on, another track which is full to the brim with electronic effects, roaring guitar lines and gravelly vocal lines, this time underpinning things with a haunting yet effective synth line. Sludgy and distorted as soon as the track takes form, this one once again is sure to be one for the live scene to truly unleash it’s power. There is one little issue on the tracks, the level of the vocals. Whether it’s my speakers or not, the vocals seem to overload the mic a little, fading everything out behind them so a sense of balance is lost – it’s not a major issue but one to focus on in the future. Silent Scream soon comes into being, opening sounding like an intro to a Phil Collins song before taking a turn to the dark side, this is another melee of bass heavy rhythms and dark sound effects. Slower as it begins, there’s a sense of this almost being a chilled out song, relying on the darker sound of the track rather than all out distortion. Maintaining this theme throughout, this track is almost a shock after the headstrong starters, yet it still seems to sit well in the album.
Misery continues this theme of slowing things down and keeping them soft yet dark – right up until the you’ve become accustomed to it of course! Sure there’s slow moments, but there’s also some ripping fast sections which really hark back to the heavier fast tracks which started the album. Concrete Angels seems to follow this convention as well, opting for a melodic, soft opening and letting the track build naturally around a relatively cleaned up guitar line. Throwing the listener into a spin with soft melodies and a soaring guitar solo, you become used to the softer sound these guys seem to have adopted and then bam, the raw power kicks back in to make sure you’re still awake! I like the contrasting effect that these hard/soft moments cause through the track, it’s something which keeps the track alive and moving, again suggesting great things for the live scene. As Come Out And Slay takes the lead, I also really like how this track seems to signify a change in the album – the levelling seems better on this one and the slow, chilled out mood has been replaced with a slow, raw, powerful sound designed to get heads banging and people shifting. Throwing in some strange moments of calm to ease the storm, I like how this track jumps from moment to moment, never becoming predictable or allowing you to rest easy!
Red Star is a real highlight on the album for me, opening soft once again but keeping that edge of darkness firmly in place, soon you’re thrust into a mix of guitars and bass heavy rhythms, the guitars over flowing with effects and the mood set slow and dark. Stereotypically industrial, this track is raw, powerful, slow and heavy – and one which you will want to play at an obscene volume! Out of the tracks on the album, personally, I’d put this one as my favourite, just for the raw power they’ve managed to achieve throughout this track. Sooner Or Later follows on from the frantic ending of the previous track, once again throwing down with a sludgy guitar line and electronic beat to get you going. Picking up the pace, the electronic synth takes precedent on this track and gives a sense of the 80’s to an extent, it’s not a comparison I like making but there’s that feel of electro behind everything. Almost catchy in the way this track progresses, this is one which you’ll find yourself humming to yourself having listened to it a few times.
Title track Live Forever closes the album, finishing as it began with electronic effects, hammering guitar lines and those hard hitting vocal lines. This track seems to act almost as a summary for the album, giving you a taste of what’s on offer whilst still suggesting that they can do more. This is also the best produced track on the album I think, the levelling works throughout it and you can’t help but walk away wanting to see this band on the live scene.
There’s a lot of potential in this album from Thir13en, something which suggests that there’s going to be good things to follow. Sure, there’s issues on this one, but who doesn’t have them on a debut album (hence why I’ve tried not to make a note of it too much), and they’re only in the production rather than the performance. Personally, walking away from this album, I think this is the sort of thing you need to see on the live scene to fully appreciate it, another one to add to my list for sure!
To find out more about Thir13en, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Opening with Graveyard Technology, everything is very odd! Opening with radio sound effects, there’s a sense that something is approaching, you just can’t place exactly what it is! Soon enough though, it’s apparent, a screeching guitar line underpinned with a heavy bass line and electronic drums – this is seriously heavy stuff, yet there’s no drummer! Fading the vocals in to being over the distorted backing music, everything takes full form, once again using the electronic drums to create a sense of pace and rhythm through everything. There’s a real sense of PitchShifter running through this, it’s the same sort of style and vocal inspirations. I can imagine that this is the sort of thing which works insanely well on the live scene, it’s got that bass heavy beat which is going to get live crowds going mental.
I Am Wolf follows on, another track which is full to the brim with electronic effects, roaring guitar lines and gravelly vocal lines, this time underpinning things with a haunting yet effective synth line. Sludgy and distorted as soon as the track takes form, this one once again is sure to be one for the live scene to truly unleash it’s power. There is one little issue on the tracks, the level of the vocals. Whether it’s my speakers or not, the vocals seem to overload the mic a little, fading everything out behind them so a sense of balance is lost – it’s not a major issue but one to focus on in the future. Silent Scream soon comes into being, opening sounding like an intro to a Phil Collins song before taking a turn to the dark side, this is another melee of bass heavy rhythms and dark sound effects. Slower as it begins, there’s a sense of this almost being a chilled out song, relying on the darker sound of the track rather than all out distortion. Maintaining this theme throughout, this track is almost a shock after the headstrong starters, yet it still seems to sit well in the album.
Misery continues this theme of slowing things down and keeping them soft yet dark – right up until the you’ve become accustomed to it of course! Sure there’s slow moments, but there’s also some ripping fast sections which really hark back to the heavier fast tracks which started the album. Concrete Angels seems to follow this convention as well, opting for a melodic, soft opening and letting the track build naturally around a relatively cleaned up guitar line. Throwing the listener into a spin with soft melodies and a soaring guitar solo, you become used to the softer sound these guys seem to have adopted and then bam, the raw power kicks back in to make sure you’re still awake! I like the contrasting effect that these hard/soft moments cause through the track, it’s something which keeps the track alive and moving, again suggesting great things for the live scene. As Come Out And Slay takes the lead, I also really like how this track seems to signify a change in the album – the levelling seems better on this one and the slow, chilled out mood has been replaced with a slow, raw, powerful sound designed to get heads banging and people shifting. Throwing in some strange moments of calm to ease the storm, I like how this track jumps from moment to moment, never becoming predictable or allowing you to rest easy!
Red Star is a real highlight on the album for me, opening soft once again but keeping that edge of darkness firmly in place, soon you’re thrust into a mix of guitars and bass heavy rhythms, the guitars over flowing with effects and the mood set slow and dark. Stereotypically industrial, this track is raw, powerful, slow and heavy – and one which you will want to play at an obscene volume! Out of the tracks on the album, personally, I’d put this one as my favourite, just for the raw power they’ve managed to achieve throughout this track. Sooner Or Later follows on from the frantic ending of the previous track, once again throwing down with a sludgy guitar line and electronic beat to get you going. Picking up the pace, the electronic synth takes precedent on this track and gives a sense of the 80’s to an extent, it’s not a comparison I like making but there’s that feel of electro behind everything. Almost catchy in the way this track progresses, this is one which you’ll find yourself humming to yourself having listened to it a few times.
Title track Live Forever closes the album, finishing as it began with electronic effects, hammering guitar lines and those hard hitting vocal lines. This track seems to act almost as a summary for the album, giving you a taste of what’s on offer whilst still suggesting that they can do more. This is also the best produced track on the album I think, the levelling works throughout it and you can’t help but walk away wanting to see this band on the live scene.
There’s a lot of potential in this album from Thir13en, something which suggests that there’s going to be good things to follow. Sure, there’s issues on this one, but who doesn’t have them on a debut album (hence why I’ve tried not to make a note of it too much), and they’re only in the production rather than the performance. Personally, walking away from this album, I think this is the sort of thing you need to see on the live scene to fully appreciate it, another one to add to my list for sure!
To find out more about Thir13en, check out their Facebook page HERE.