A New January

Category: Industrial
Album: Cold And Naked

Tightly-constructed, A New January comes across as a band with much promise. But something remains lingering in the back of my mind, nagging at me, as I listen to the tracks.

The tracks have a tone and structure akin most prominently to Celldweller, music that is not industrial so much as rock music constructed with electronics. And that sense of melody and construction is translated well in A New January, yet at the same time, there’s a certain lack, seemingly somewhere in the vocals.

Despite the tight song structures, the vocals often lack any range or passion, the choruses are no more imperative or energetic than the verses. The lack of change on a song-to-song basis becomes apparent the farther one gets into the album. And the lyrics, not generally a point of contention amongst industrial fans, stand out oddly. The vocals, the backbone of rock-structured music, seem atrophied or underdeveloped and the music suffers for it.

Not to say that it is bad in any way. For an independent production, it is as good as any I’ve ever heard. It just seems to lack the energy and soul that drives you to listen to a band again and again. Despite the catchiness of several of the tracks, I have no desire to reach for the album again. And that’s quite a shame, because this is a band deserving of attention.

Hopefully, in time, they’ll find their stride and meet up to all the potential and promise that they have.

 

from ReGen Magazine (~7/2004)