I like surprises. Today's surprise comes in the form of a lil' three track EP from a Swedish father-son duo who utilize emotion and interconnectedness as a catalyst for their composition. With vague genre markers and little more than a mission statement to guide my ears, I was utterly uncertain what Trumbiten had cooked up on the (appropriately entitled) Emotions. As luck would have it, hitting play was cause for celebration: Tommy Arngren (the father) and Adam (the son) certainly have the goods.
Existing in the nebulous zone between hard rock, prog rock, thrash, and traditional metal, these guys made the smart move of enlisting the aid of multiple session vocalists, utilizing a global community of musicians to create slightly outside the bounds of standard industry practice. Without further blathering, we slumbering scribes are pleased to present Emotions in its entirety below. As always, we'll see you on the other side. In the meantime: enjoy!
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And there ye have it! The inclusion of distinct vocalists herein affords each track a unique identity that still, perhaps paradoxically, feels connected to the overall Trumbiten riff-centric aesthetic. More than just maintaining intrigue, however, Trumbiten are able to cleverly harness and harvest a wide range of emotions--which, I suppose, is kind of the point. Take, as a prime example, the distinction between the implicit negativity encapsulated in the harsh raspy whispers on the back half of "In Pain," compared to the more melodic and bombastic "Beast of Fire," which feels significantly more uplifting. In three tracks, needless to say, a whole lot of ground is covered. The spirit of collaboration is strong--as are the results. But! At the same end, the strong hard-rockin' forward momentum is never sacrificed, so if you just want to kick back with some bangin' tunes, you don't need to worry yourself excessively with the underlying thesis. The father/son side of the equation is very much built on a solid foundation of solid songcraft, and much headbanging material lurks within. Of the three tracks here, I most enjoy the underlying angst and vaguely alt-metal vibe of "Sleepwalk," but every track is most certainly worth yer while. Say Trumbiten in regards to their debut effort: “We wanted to put words and music on different aspects of struggling with inner emotions. Also, we engaged three female vocalists that would add their touch and tone on one song each, which would add different voices and extra dimensions to this EP and its theme. At the same time, we wanted each song to convey hope, belief in oneself and to find ways to cope with it.” Trumbiten - Emotions will be independently released on May 14th, 2021.
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Welcome!We provide thoughtful reviews of music that is heavy, gloomy...and loud enough to wake us from slumber. Written by a highfalutin peasantry. What are ye
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