Secrets Of Mariana - Reach

Track Listing:

1. Chinese Whispers
2. Fake Smiles And False Pretences
3. Reach
4. Slipping Away
5. Lost

17/09/14

This band strike me immediately as something different. The band comfortably mix the genres that they flagship on their bandcamp page - alternative rock and metal. Wyatt's vocals command the audience's attention and demonstrate not just a wide range of tonal options, but a strong command of pitch.

Opening with a confident, hard hitting 'Chinese Whispers', female half scream/shout vocals immediately give this band something unique - the band have a good feel, sitting comfortably somewhere between metal and rock. They seem capable to write material that interlocks and changes well between the members. Guitars overlap and perform harmonies with each other, and the bass occupies its own space - Schultz has mastered a bass tone that works well for the band, sitting more on the rock side of the spectrum - but I'm hoping that the band will note that in further recordings the bass perhaps should be turned up to allow it to really shine.
In the titular song, Reach, one band member - I'm not sure who - shows that Wyatt is not the only one capable of scream vocals and I would like to hear more of this mystery members backing vocals as they really added to the song.

While the band are very good at their chosen genre, it should be noted that the EP - while short - lacks variety, excluding their final track (more on this later!). This is not necessarily yet a bad thing - the band are just finding their feet - but I would encourage them, in their further writings, to try and branch out - what I'm listening to proves that they have the capacity to do so. Experiments with different time signatures, perhaps a song led by bass, or (shock horror!) cleaner guitar could be something that could be played about with.

A particular moment that I enjoy in the record is a very short breakdown (? correct me if I'm wrong) near the midpart of the song 'Slipping Away'. Guitars squeal perfectly off key chords and the beat is broken down in a Nirvana styled mashup, but the band perfectly come back together in a timely fashion leaving the listener wanting more of this experimentation. Wyatt once again demonstrates her capable vocal ability in the chorus of this song, singing 'something inside me is slipping away' with a lung capacity rivalling dolphins and other aquatic mammals in a quite magnificient manner.

The closing song, 'Lost', is my favourite. Chorus-drenched guitar and bass accompany a mournful lullaby through the first verse which is a departure from the earlier EP - the guitar is much cleaner and this shows a vertasility which otherwise has not been demonstrated in the EP. At the close of the first chorus, Hyatt gives a shimmer on one of his cymbals, and I was expecting the song to drop and become heavy - but I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I was wrong as the guitar wonders on calmly for a while yet.
We reach the bridge, and midway through, I'm once again expecting an onslaught of distorted guitars as bass, drums, and guitar unite in a series of emphasised quarter notes - but I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that again, it is not to come - and this marks out a good band - delivering the listener what they do not expect. Later in the song, the band do return to their original style with ease and finish what is a great EP with guitars ringing out and vocals holding out until the lungs have nothing left in them.

The album is well recorded and mixed; a sheen of 'quality' sits over it that is necessary to make this genre of music sound good through headphones. Not that music should be judged on how well it is recorded - but it always helps to compliment the well written tunes.
This is a band I would be keen to see live. They are a band to be listened to at high volumes, and sung along to - something that is aided by the posting of the bands lyrics on their page - something which I consider to be a good idea.
In summary, a confident EP, well written - but with much room for experiment. Good luck, and let me know about anything else you guys make! 8/10

Harry Loker
Guitarist and vocals at Bears In Transylvania (https://www.facebook.com/#!/BearsInTransylvania)

If you want to hear more from this band, their facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/SecretsOfMariana
And you can listen to their EP at:

https://secretsofmariana.bandcamp.com/
Which can be purchased for a modest £3!