Review by Rachel Jablonski
It’s the heart of winter in Nebraska. Snow, icy roads, and bitter cold temperatures allow for limited activity in the city of Lincoln. With little motivation to endure the frosty outdoors, I’ve been craving the radiance of excitement. Naturally, I turned to Florida based Attica to warm my spirits with their latest release “Undone.”
As it turns out Attica did indeed turn on the heat, but perhaps I’m sweating more than other listeners may. Reason being, despite the number of times I’ve listened to “Undone,” I can’t seem to shake a feeling as blank and silent as the air on a snowy winter day. Sure, I can talk about the smooth rhythms, potentially inciting grooves, and edgy vocals of the grove-core metal act from Tampa. Unfortunately however, any descriptions that come to mind seem merely matter of fact in nature as opposed to feelings aflame from the heart. Quite simply, as agreeable as the album is to listen to, I feel Attica’s “Undone” is ultimately missing some particular spark to ignite interest.
The album begins with the promise of emotional stimulation in “Trespass.” Alternating between a rhythmic phrase of singing sandwiched between harsh, growling vocals of the first and last word, each line produces agreeable patterning overtop deep undertones and an entertaining riff. But promise is soon broken as redundancy and familiarity creep forward. Typical choral breakdowns complete with screams seemingly for the sake of doing so rather than for effective purpose become rather unimpressive. The album glows with possibility, but this systematic formula follows in tracks throughout the album disallowing the band from ever completely becoming ablaze.
The title track, “Undone,” seems to be the most fiery song on the album. The guitar work is a thick haze of energy that is overtaking. The intensity is genuine and well exhibited instrumentally as well as vocally. This is one song on the album I can’t help but tap my foot to.
On the other hand, “End of the World,” a heavy cover of REM’s “It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)” I could do without. The track reminds me of the distorted, out of key attempt of the claymation musicians in the Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to recreate “Jingle Bells.” So too, the recreation of REM’s song seems forced and undistinguished.
Most other tracks on the album, such as “Libel,” “High Diver,” and “Falling Short,” are enjoyable, but not nearly explosive enough. They present me with a feeling of routine rather than a heightened level of emotion or uniqueness. Overall I feel Attica’s “Undone” to be just that… undone. My impression is that the band seems most musically inclined, but has not yet determined their distinguishing grove or potentially flammable temperament.