SBG RECORDS
MAY 9
Words by Kris Peters
Have I mentioned before that I love having time to do album reviews, mainly because it is one of the rare times I get to actually digest new music and ask myself what I think of it?
Pretty self-indulgent, hey? But whatever works…
So it is, I sit down to listen to the new EP from Sacramento-based active rock band Nerv, titled LOST.
Now, before even listening to one note, the first thing that strikes me is the use of an exclamation mark after every one of the six songs which make up LOST. I’m not sure what to make of that, because generally in the media industry over-use of things such as an exclamation mark are generally there to take the focus off something else of inferior quality, but I shall defer to the side of positivity and entertain the notion that maybe Nerv are extremely passionate about every track and want to ram that point home from the get go. But then I notice no exclamation mark after the EP title LOST, but there is after the name of the first track, LOST! Now I’m confused as fuck, so let’s just hit play!
LOST! with an exclamation mark offers a slight swirling of soft breeze leading into a tasty guitar run from either Jordan Grokett or Scott Buchanan before vocalist Dillon Jones eases into the sonic landscape with an angst drenched delivery that is urgent, yet restrained.
It doesn’t take long for the comfortable verse chorus structure to align and first impressions are Nerv are yet another in a promising line of rock bands all vying for the stagnating pool of listeners eager to enjoy the genre.
But that changes around the minute and a half mark as a faint but notable harsher echo barks back sporadically before retreating from whence it came. Was I hearing things, or are there more layers to uncover?
The song gradually gathers pace and aggression, in small increments initially, but there is definitely a stronger sense of menace fighting to be heard. I’m not sure whether this is extremely clever marketing from Nerv or if they are just teasing us, but as LOST! fades out into nothingness amid a soothing closing passage, I do find myself questioning whether it is myself, in fact, who is hearing things that may or may not be there…
Cool track but nonetheless.
FAKE! starts with an electronic intro that could almost go anywhere, but is quickly overpowered by a tough guitar lick before retreating into itself again, allowing Jones to add his touch of ownership to proceedings.
Jones has a powerful voice that you feel hasn’t even moved out of second gear yet, but before I can flesh that thought out any further the angry man is back, shouting something like “I’m not listening” to whoever he doesn’t want to listen to, and once more my hairs rise amid a gleeful feeling of anticipation that Nerv are more intent on bludgeoning us into oblivion than providing a guiding light into salvation.
Then the harsh vocals turn to a whisper before exploding into a rage that forces Jones to smother it with cleans and restore order to the track. But the rest of Nerv is now conflicted as to which side of the musical fence to sit on, chunking things up and adding an extra layer of severity to the song that finally breaks free three-quarters through, allowing drummer Tyler Clark to show off some rapid chops and lashings of belligerence.
I should say here I am generally not a massive fan of the whole harsh/clean vocals type of music. It’s just been done so often that it has almost become predictable, but so far this is not the case with Nerv. The forbidden union is instead handled with more respect, creating a sense of uneasiness coupled with anticipation that is all-too-rare in modern music. Kudos to them!
PANIC! begins with a maelstrom of musical intensity that withdraws enough to allow Jones to stem the tide of growing discontent and bring things back to an easier to manage grounding. But, again, the rest of the band seem to be intent on taking things back to danger town as the harsh vocals grow more desperate and prevalent before their lingering impact is now the backbone of the track rather than a casual intrusion.
Nerv have a sensational grasp on where and when to add sonic breakdowns and disparity, and this is beautifully on display with PANIC! that creates a dynamic contrasting of light and shade that doesn’t just happen by chance. Pick of the EP so far!
WASTED! has all the hallmarks of the compulsory ballad, but just as I resign myself to despair, Nerv throw a curveball by toughening things up considerably to drag the song more into hard rock territory than token ballad. Jones has a rare ability to dictate the terms of each song through vocal techniques alone, but it’s when the dual guitars of Grokett and Buchanan start getting dirty and chunky that you know shit is about to get real.
It is a delicate balancing of roles that Nerv seem to have mastered on LOST, offering enough by way of several differing genres to combine the sound into something fresh, unique and inviting.
With a name like CHAOS! I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the next track will likely be the heaviest on the EP, and from the opening strains of swirling electronics and guitars which quickly give way to a down tuned and chunky as fuck guitar riff, I’m pretty sure I am correct.
Musically, this is by far the heaviest, but so far, Jones has offered the yin to their yang, with a controlled vocal delivery that sits this song between two worlds and, more importantly, takes you with it. As his tone deepens and slows considerably, the drums bark back with greater authority, inviting the guitars to follow suit,t and I get the feeling a massive breakdown is coming…
But Nerv are nothing if not the type to deliver the expected, so instead turn CHAOS! into a more stoner rock tinged ball of fuzz momentarily before Jones once more steadies the ship and off we go once more into the unknown.
Samples abound here, reminding me of the earlier, more awesome days of Incubus, which, unsurprisingly, carries over into the next and final track PAIN!
Guitars swirl menacingly as Jones barks orders and Clark responds by bludgeoning his kit and threatening to take things over the top before Jones pulls things back, albeit without disturbing the growing feeling of discontent. There’s more timing and tempo changes in this one song than the other five combined, but Nerv never once lose focus of what truly matters.
The song.
Despite the almost maniacal changes at times, PAIN! maintains some semblance of structure that often eludes bands trying to cover so much sonic territory within one body of work.
The harsh vocals make another appearance, but again offer only a glimpse into another side of Nerv‘s musical psyche that, after listening to LOST, you get the feeling they are only just starting to fully develop.
And that, my friends, can only mean even better things than this already fantastic body of music lie ahead.
