Volumes - 'Different Animals' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Waves Control

2. Finite

3. Feels Good

4. Disaster Vehicle

5. Pieces

6. Interlude

7. Hope

8. Tides Change

9. On Her Mind

10. Heavy Silence

11. Pullin' Shades

12. Left For Dead

So Volumes are a band I’ve always heard of and yet I’ve never really checked them out before, so I didn’t really know what to expect when listening to “Different Animals” for the first time. The first track on the album “Waves Control” comes straight in fast and heavy and doesn’t let up, the screams are beefy and the riff is extra djent-y with pumping bass and drums. The use of clear vocals was an interesting point for me and really added an extra dynamic to the track. Once the second track “Finite” comes in, I was thrown off guard, it opens with a steady vocal intro with a crackly effect but this is short lived when the band all jump in on cue and really open the song up. Another heavy riff picks up the tempo of the track before easing off to allow the clean vocals to take centre stage, while the screaming takes a more backstage presence. “Feels Good” opens up with a gentle feel good (easy pun intended) intro track before launching in again with more heavy riffage. The chorus this time around sported something of a group chant which helped to really set the feel of the track. “Disaster Vehicle” had an interesting full band intro, the tempo and play style are changed up quite a bit, the double bass kicks really kick the song’s arse into gear. This time the screaming taking full responsibility, which in most circumstances I might be turned off by, but with the high speed and intensity of the track I wouldn’t have had it any other way. “Pieces” was something of a welcome reprieve for me after the last track, a bit of variation was the steadier tempo of the song, which allowed for a clean vocal which I can already imagine fans singing along word for word back to the band live.

Which led nicely into the 'Interlude' which helped steady the pace of the album as well as steer the tone ready to open up for the next track. “Hope” was a real curveball for me, opening up with a steady bass and drum beat and some interesting rapping. Accompanied again with some more clean vocals, leading into a heavier chorus. I think this is my favourite track on the album purely for it’s complete deviation from the usual formula of the album thus far, the rapping is awesome and fits perfectly with the music, the clean vocals gels perfectly and in just the right amount. When “Tides Change” starts up the tone takes a slower and more sullen feel with a lack of vocals but more a more atmospheric feel, I really enjoyed it and it sort of added a bit of diversity to the overall sound so far but ultimately felt a bit like another interlude, I don’t know if that was deliberately meant to be the case, as the previous interlude was just titled as such. “On Her Mind” opens with a guitar chug followed by a drum beat and then full band come in together. This song took me by surprise because I was expecting more of the same, but it ended up taking a more Nu Metal style feel, with some rapping over a groovy/heavy riff, then the chorus has that kind of rhythm that ends up getting stuck in your head, the bass particularly sounds sick. “Heavy Silence” comes in with a softer tone and some clean vocals for the intro before switching to the distortion and picking the speed up a bit. Before again returning back to the Djenty chugging we’ve come to expect at this point. “Pullin’ Shades” similarly opens with a steady beat and build up before bursting into some heavy riffage and backing tracks. The clean vocals coming in shortly afterward felt a bit more powerful really showing how well the vocalist can bellow, before breaking down into a whisper again. I quite enjoyed the change of feel with this track in contrast to some others on the album. “Left For Dead” was everything I’d expected of a track that is titled as such. It comes in with an eery sort of feel before bursting in with a screamed vocal. I found it a pretty good sign off for the album and most definitely a track I’d have playing in the background while I hear all my mates scream as we lose at one of our favourite onlines games, which shares the name of this track. In conclusion I enjoyed this album overall, when you’re in the mood for some really heavy stuff to have a good bellow to, 'Different Animals' does not disappoint. The heavy bass and drum, the Djenty chugging guitars and the various vocal styles ranging from screaming to clean and even some rap provide enough sound to keep a range of different preferences headbanging. However the first few tracks felt quite similar at times with heavy riffs and chugging and only slight variations in vocal style, swapping between the singing and screaming and differing background elements such as backing tracks and effects. The best part for me personally were the few tracks where the usual ingredients were mixed up a bit creating a whole new sound in comparison. “Hope and “On Her Mind” are two tracks that spring to mind when I think of this, and I personally would love to hear these guys mess around with more sounds like this because they were awesome.