The band, previously unknown to me, delivers an interesting mix here! On this album, hardcore and punk with mosh parts, screaming, etc. meet Southern rock with fat guitar licks. One has heard something similar from The Bronx. In contrast to the Americans, Meet the Storm hails from Rotterdam and has been playing this sound since 2007. After two EPs (Meet The Storm EP (2009) and Sailing On A Broken Compass EP (2010)), they now present their first full-length album with "To what end...". What I hear here is quite enjoyable. They don't just strum power chords like most punk/hardcore bands; they actually work on the guitar. Solid riffs are played, the fretboard is used intensively, and I wouldn't be surprised if, during shows, the constant bendings and pull-offs occasionally break a string or two. I particularly like Atlantis Conspiracy, as it ends with a solid guitar solo that really kicks it up a notch. Besides the technical aspects, the album is well-produced with pressure by John Mitchell (Your Demise, Architects, The Blackout) in the Outhouse Studios; everything is clearly audible, and it's a pleasure to listen to. Occasionally, alongside the hardcore-typical screaming, there are one or two clean-sung parts (sometimes with a second or third voice) that usually fit perfectly into the concept. The drumming is consistently on point, and the bass also delivers solid work. Overall, there's not much to complain about with this album; the only criticism is that some songs are a bit long for my taste. Unfortunately, I can't say much about the artwork; I only received the press kit online, which only included the front cover. It's kept simple, with the band name and album title presented in a golden picture frame on a varnished background. It fits quite well!
This article was automatically translated by AI.
