Release
date: October 06th 2017. Label: Ipecac Recordings. Format:
CD/DD/VInyl
Seismic
– Tracklisting
1. Seismic
2. Learn to Breathe
3. The Size of the
Planet
4. Ghost of a
Glowing Forest
5. Under the Earth
6. A Southern Death
7. The Opening
8. What is This?
Where Are We?
9. Hollow Bones
10. Hang Us All
11. The Hope of a
Storm
Members
Sarah Quintero -
Bass/Guitar/Vocals
Mario Quintero -
Guitar/Synths/Vocals
Chris Enriquez -
Drums
Review
Spotlights play a
beautiful style of Sludge, Doom, Post-Rock, Noise and Shoegaze kind
of sound. Parts The Melvins, Torche, ISIS (The Band) and Helms Alee
but offering their own unique heavy sound. The band return with their
sophomore effort - Seismic. A lush and progressive musical odyssey
that captures the listener's imagination from the very start with
brooding drums and haunting played riffs.
Opening song - Seismic
- is a song that captures the balance between light and heavy sounds
with Spotlights operating with a distinctive shoegaze authority. The
song changes from melodic sludge/post-metal heaviness to a more
refined doom-pop/shoegaze environment. The ambient and psychedelic
sounds add a very cool and very friendly feel to the whole feel of
the album. The dual vocals have a warm embrace around them. As
Spotlights maybe distinctively a heavy rock band but they bring you
into their sludgy rock world with loving open arms.
Second song - Learn To
Breathe - has a classic eighties/nineties shoegaze approach with the
band keeping the sludge riffs at bay and replaces them with a heavy
alternative rock feel. The band adds their soulful and addictive
vocals to the song at different parts of the song. The vocals have
quite a stop-start approach that matches the flow and vibrancy of the
song.
Third track - The Size
Of The Planet - has more of a classic post-rock/post-metal feel that
brings back memories of ISIS (The Band) at the top of their creative
powers. It's a beautifully played slow piece with Spotlights on
mesmerizing form. The shoegaze/doom-pop feel of the song is what
holds your attention. Seismic has this magnetic and addictive hold
over you as the heavy played sludge riffs leave you wanting more. The
dual vocals and superbly written lyrics make the emotional connection
between the album and the listener only stronger.
Fourth song - Ghost Of
A Flowing Planet - is perhaps my favourite song on the album as it
opens with a fantastic psychedelic/sludge hybrid sound with dreamlike
vocals to match. The lyrics are simply written but Spotlights deliver
them with ultimate grace and style.
Spotlights carry on
their experimental doom/sludge rock vibes with more outstanding songs
such as Under The Earth, A Southern Death, Hollow Bones and The Hope
Of A Storm. Spotlights opt for a more drone based sound on later
stages of the album without compromising the almost feel-good and
uplifting sludge/post-metal/doom metal riffs they capture superbly
well. Seismic is wonderfully produced with the band sounding
incredible from the start.
Spotlights should also
get credit for their use of different sounds on the album. As they
keep the album sounding wholly original throughout. Seismic is an
album that works on so many different levels. It never bows down to
genre rules or conventions. Seismic is perhaps one of the boldest and
most addictive albums you'll hear this year. I rank Seismic as one of
the top ten albums of the year.
A simply incredible and
exquisite album.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Monica at SpeakEasy PR for the promo. Seismic will be available to
buy via Ipecac Recordings on CD/DD/Vinyl from October 06th
2017.
