Demos

Autozero - Autozero EP

Louise Evans 24/07/2007

Rating: 3/5

With a sound hearkening back to the emotional intensity and distorted power of 1990s bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, the three-piece Autozero have already impressed the right people enough to be featured as a case study in a book on recording techniques to be released late this year. Not a bad start for a band whose first gig was only in December last year. With a combination of squalling guitars, crashing drums and plenty of distortion, Autozero put together dark atmospheric soundscapes fused with enough power to pack a real punch.

For the most part the band stick to this formula; opening track 'Polax' sweeps you along with a thudding bass and pounding drums. Dan Bradley's relentless guitar adds to the claustrophobic feel of the track by almost swamping his vocals. The distorted vocals on '100°' continue to give a detached distant feel to the EP. Yet the fiery intensity carries through with waves of guitar building up the choruses particularly on 'We Hurt (The Ones We Love)', where the slower tempo verses provide a good contrast to the powerful crescendos.

However, occasionally there is too much reliance on the original 1990s sound without any extra additions; 'Hero' could have been left over from an album such as Siamese Dream. From the overall feel of the track down to details like the Corgan-esque whine of the vocals, the impression given is of a band who haven't quite found their own path yet.