Nevada Rose – “Paint Me In Light” [Album Review]

Some people don’t like synth in their tea, but I do. Likewise, some people find synth in metalcore/hardcore music as a gimmick and make fun of bands like Attack Attack! and Asking Alexandria for using it, but on the other hand, when Skrillex and Korn collab-ed and made some dynamite jamz, it proved to me that it totally depends on how you use it.

Paint Me In Light is heavy with the “wubwubwub” as well as a variety of other electronic layers. For me, it makes the breakdowns, of which there are several, a little more unique than they would be without. I quite enjoy the way in which fully electronic intros/bridges blend their way into the guitar driven parts, replacing e-kits with drum kits and leaving arpeggio synths as “leads.” Unlike other bands that like to use a lot of synths, the electronic influence is woven back into the song smoothly, creating a lot of dynamics that I think are missing in a lot of metal.

The mix of clean vocals and screams is 50/50. Verses tend to be screamed, and choruses/bridges are sung. While the clean vocals are well performed and interesting, they aren’t as memorable in the sense of hooks. There were no “I CAN’T GET THIS OUT OF MY HEAD!” lines like “GIVE ME FUEL, GIVE ME FIRE!” …maybe a good thing? I can’t recall a single lyric and only one melody line off the top of my head, but there are several musical moments that standout, like the full electronic “breakdown,” if you want to call it that, that also somewhat functions as a bridge. I thought that was clever, or the breakdown with a wobbly synth that syncs up with the rhythm of the guitars, also a very cool moment.

I’m def. coming back to this album for several more listens, mainly ’cause I really appreciate the song writing as a whole. The riffing doesn’t have as much movement as I’d prefer, but the song structures are convincing, in that you feel that we started here, and now we’re HERE, and it was a very pleasant experience in between. Does that make sense? I feel like a lot of music leaves me more or less in one spot over the course of songs/the album, and I’d rather not be here… but HERE.

PS – there are some moments that I could totally see taking place in an Abercrombie & Fitch store while an employ makes out with one of the manikins ’cause they don’t think anyone’s watching, but I’m watching. I’m watching.

Track Listing:

01. This WiFi Is Sucks
02. 609
03. Vanity
04. Anchors For Sunsets
05. Murals
06. Scars To Prove
07. I Was Born Single
08. Meet Me At Midnight
09. Stonybrook
10. Riot House
11. The Unrest

Run Time: 36:42
Release Date: June 17, 2014

Check out the song “Anchors For Sunsets”