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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Dazzling Full-Length Debut, February 20, 2007
Damiera has really impressed me with their release of M(Us)Ic, comprising confidence and brilliance without compromising their talent. This is not a typical Equal Vision quartet which usually includes the more artsy rock, usually eliminating the roughness and quality of sound. The important thing is that Damiera certainly does not disappoint with their debut full-length.
The guitars alone are worth mentioning. A risky fusion of trascenedent riffs, daring to reach outside and pull within. They took indie rock, a tad bit of ambience just enough to insinuate their touch, to mix with progressive rock which the name precedes itself; the World may not be ready for what they are about to listen to.
The album hits hard right off the bat with the first track "Immure", probably the catchiest song on the CD, the chorus hitting at full strength with anthem-worthy lyrics "Finally let's distinguish when connection falls away". This song definitely is a perfect lead-off track for an album like this; making the listener feel welcome and certainly intrigued. The single of the album, the fourth track, "Via Invested" (which they made an interesting video for) starts off in clean but sure doesn't hesitate to break out into their usual ear-attracting style of play. Another notable track of this album is number five "I am Pulse", probably a personal favorite of mine, but it's very difficult to have a stand-out track on this cd; they're all very well produced.
Surely Damiera does not disappoint; probably because not many expected such a remarkable release. The album is deep and insightful dipping its hand into the jar of reality. Insightful and fearless, draining the force out of previous releases that don't hold nearly as much edge as these guys have. This won't be the last you heard of the Buffalonean quartet, hopefully.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Impressive., February 19, 2007
The kind of guitar driven rock that Damiera plays may not be uncommon in today's time, but the Equal Vision quartet have sure made an impression on the music scene with this magnificent offering.
"M(US)IC" (meant to be read "us" in the music) is a stirring mix of guitar interplay, melodic vocals, atmospheric dabblings and introspective lyrics. Dave Raymond and Rock Whittington's excellent relationship on the guitar end is showcased all over the disc, mostly on tracks like the opener "Immure" and the rocking "Flora Yield." Since there is not very much of a distinction between which exactly is the rhythm guitar and which is the lead, it's sometimes hard to imagine Dave singing and playing this at the same time. But it doesn't stop there. The often progressive nature of most songs gives a feeling of new exciting endeavors throughout the entire listen, and even makes for the occasional "wow" moment. "I Am Pulse" and "Broken Hands" are perhaps the record's two best tracks. The rhythm section of the band (comprised of Mark Henry and Brad McRae) is something which is also of the utmost importance to the band's sound, since the music strays far away from that of traditional three-chord rock music. The listener will be treated to bass lines and drum patterns that sound as if they were written to accent the mood and nature of the music, rather than simply keep up the rhythm of the given song. If the band were comfortable throwing around the term "virtuoso," more than a few people would be willing to give them the tag.
The only problem with the album overall is its scarce length. Barely reaching the 32 minute mark, "M(US)IC" will never seem complete. Only 9 full songs and 1 interlude just isn't enough when the music is this good. The band could have greatly benefited from adding another instrumental or perhaps even re-recording a few songs from their self-titled EP which was released last year (and ultimately led to their signing with Equal Vision). Still the brevity of the disc keeps the album from feeling like it slows down or gets boring in places, and it's hardly enough to take the album down to any extremely lesser level. It also helps that every single song is a keeper.
For a debut album, this is most impressive. Fans of guitar driven bands along the lines of Circa Survive, As Tall As Lions, Minus The Bear or maybe even Hot Cross will find that Damiera are one of the artists destined to break out in 2007, should they get the radio and airplay they deserve. Not many band's are releasing this technical and impressive of a debut these days.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Technical and Stirring, January 26, 2007
This is perhaps one of the most technically challenging albums to come out in a long time. For me it was akin to the feeling of excitement that came over me after hearing Circa Survive's Juturna for the first time. There's really no other sound to compare to this emotionally rousing roller-coaster of talented sound. The musicians and vocalist are all top-notch and this band flows together without a hitch. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Circa Survive or Karate, although there are definitely differences between their sounds. Damiera leaves atmospherics and overproduction at the door, while providing a more performance-ready feel to their songs. There's also some dashes of jazz and fusion in some areas. There isn't a bad song on this album. An AMAZING find for a fan of talented, emotive, technical rock.
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