Posted on: January 24, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Always impeccable with their choice of arrangement, Angels Fight The City mix early nineties alternative music along with 70s post-punk like Wire to make compelling track. The first track on this EP, self-titled, uses multi-part harmonies and cacophonies to weave a sort of vocal melody that is sadly not explored by many popular acts today. “Out Of Depth on Land” is a track that bands like The Strokes or The White Stripes could only hope to create. Instead of being stale, press-and-dry label-supported alt-rock, “The Prince” is a down and dirty rock track, not afraid to push the boundaries of what is acceptable. In contrast, “Marathon” is a blues-infused track, having a slow tempo and time-honored guitar riffs mixing in well with the bongos strewn through the track. In this, Angels Fight The City further their case with the driving, shuffling drum beat and Elvis/Danzig style of vocals.

Even if the recording seems a little hollow, the immense energy that Angels Fight The City exude makes up for it – the arrangements indicate a band that has an inborn talent beyond practically any band out in the scene currently. Sounding at moments like two other great British imports – Bauhaus and The Cure, Angels Fight The City is able to maintain relevance while still showing a devotion to an earlier stage of music. While this is not a full-length, each track on this EP is detailed enough that we are given a complete view of the band – there is literally a musical attack of hundreds of forms with each track of Angels Fight The City.

Throughout this CD, each track is a musical gem, with boatloads of strengths and very few in terms of weaknesses. Layered to hell and back, Angels Fight The City show themselves to be extra-ordinarily talented in holding back this desire to muck up everything beyond recognition. There has been a continual high point that Go Rimbaud/Angels Fight The City have operated at the last few years, and I really expect more of the same from the band when they release a full-length. With each strum of the guitar, each chugging bass line and each drum hit, I can honestly hear a different influence come out for that brief period, and I think a large part of the enjoyment that I derive from Angels Fight The City is trying to construct this puzzle and figure out who they are influenced by.

Top Track: Out of Depth on Land

Rating: 8.2/10

Angels Fight The City – Out Of Depth On Land / 2004 Self-Released / 3 Tracks / http://www.angelsfightthecity.com / Reviewed 21 July 2004

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