Ever since my favorite band, Sikth, gave up their monopoly on the UK's progressive metal scene, numerous smaller bands have been frantically trying to salvage their own sound from those charred remains. The Arusha Accord is the only band I've heard since that time that has the perfect amount of technical proficiency, songwriting ability, and pure zazz to possibly pull it off, even if it's almost like a rough interpretation of Britain's heroes in their wonder years. That last bit makes me sound like I'm some Alzheimer's-ridden old man being force-fed no-name LPs in his attic. I'm not (last time I checked, gangrene from 'Nam wasn't a terminal disease). I absolutely adore this EP. It's twenty times more coherent than any Sikth outing, and therein lies its only fault: Where's the charm?
They got the cover right. A ship, too-hard at sea, is one-of-one synesthetic image that springs to mind every time I spin this album. But is that it? Where's the charm, really? Sikth's music was over-burdened with chaotic and unorthodox, almost-outlandish hooks from start-to-finish. Arusha's got to have something going for them, right? Well yeah, they do. Those weird hooks are still here, and a lot less subtle than before. When this band hits, they hit really fucking hard. For anyone who loves Britain's brand of progressive metal and mathcore.
I wish I could really say something about this album. Writer's block is a fickle business.
@V0
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