Attention Thieves – “Year Of The Jackal” [Album Review]

I’m a little shocked listening to Year Of The Jackal the new album from returning Berkshire post-hardcore outfit Attention Thieves. Not in a bad way either, I just don’t ever remember them being this in-your-face for want of a better description. However, Year Of The Jackal is precisely that as it treats you to a thirty-six minute soundtrack of abrasive, brash post-hardcore.

Following the usual post-hardcore blueprint, Year Of The Jackal is a tense, raw record, one that you know, as you listen to the melodic tones of “Doubts” wash over you, is wound up so tight it could explode at any time into an outburst of jarring, stomping guitars. Snotty tracks like “If You’re Not With Us” are perfect examples of this – balls of frustrated punkish hardcore – they switch effortlessly between soaring melodies and crashing waves of instrument thrashing, voice-shredding post-hardcore. Furthermore, the fact that Attention Thieves have got the blend of raw energy and melodic hooks just about right definitely earns them a bonus mark.

Listening to Alex Green scream and sing his way through Year Of The Jackal, there is no getting away from the fact that this is an emotional, personal album for the frontman. Thankfully then his powerful performance blends effortlessly with the raw, shit-losing noise created by his bandmates to create this impressive painfully honest piece of work.

Track Listing:

01. Crooked Teeth
02. Coins
03. Tell Me (What Are You Scared Of?)
04. Hangnail
05. If You’re Not With Us
06. You’ll Never Learn
07. Doubts
08. Culture Of Fear
09. Sleepyear
10. The Jackal
11. Actors Cast As Heroes

Run Time: 36:28
Release Date: 18 May, 2015

Check out the video for ‘Tell Me (What Are You Scared Of ?)’ here