The Receiving End of Sirens - Between The Heart & The Synapse (CD)

All Music Guide

Once you've been an avid music lover for several decades, it becomes a pretty rare thing to stumble across a group whose sound is so original, it's difficult to play the usual game of namethatinfluence. This Bostonbased band has regrettably been saddled with the emo tag, but their intricatelyconstructed sound incorporates elements of genres ranging from metal and electronica to punk and prog, resulting in an engaging aural assault that is uniquely their own. On their stunning debut album, producer Matt Squire (Northstar, Thrice) does an impressive job of capturing the quintet's threepronged guitar attack, with a crisp, clean mix that ensures not a single detail goes unnoticed. Which is pretty remarkable when you consider the vast cornucopia of sounds here, which include everything from hammerofthegods drumbeats and spacey synth breaks to artfully arranged segments in which three vocalists sing different lyrics in harmony. Fans of progmetal bands such as Tool and Coheed Cambria will li...kely be the quickest to fall for The Receiving End of Sirens, as they take a similarly complex approach to songwriting that largely avoids typical versechorusverse structures in favor of sonically adventurous epics that twist and turn hither and yon before morphing seamlessly into something else entirely. Nearly every song here is a journey unto itself, such as "The War of All Against All", which opens with a throbbing tribal beat that evolves into an arenaworthy anthem, only to erupt with a ferociously headbanging chorus full of shifting rhythms and perfectly blended guitars and vocals, which eventually gives way to a rapturous climax full of emotional catharsis. Far too many bands these days are willing to slap a dozen or so hastilyassembled songs together and call it a day. But The Receiving End of Sirens is that rare group that truly seems to respect the compositional craft, and every single epic here shows an admirable level dedication to the artform. And for that, if nothing else, they absolutely deserve a listen. - Bret Love, All Music Guide Read more Less