Posted on: February 6, 2010 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Giant Squid may just be the most approachable band out of all the acts currently on The End Records. This is not saying much, as the style of music that Giant Squid plays is a very progressive meets System of a Down type rock. The use of two, three, and sometimes more vocals on their “Metridium Fields” will immediately garner them fan support, as the number of artists they draw influence from is large (the aforementioned System of a Down, earlier goth acts, and Evanescence all come to mind).

However, there seems to be more of a dedication to the creation of engrossing arrangements by Giant Squid. An opening track like “Neonate” will grab individuals by the throat and choke their life out of their forms for well over six minutes. The band moves more toward the classical movement side of things with the runtimes of the tracks on “Metridium Fields”. Each of the tracks (save the introduction) last on average seven minutes. Whatever Giant Squad has to say on a track, chances are quite well that they can get it out with a decent amount of time to spare.

The band takes different approaches to different tracks on this disc. While the album may be called “Metridium Fields”, there is little that unites the track beyond the fact that all of them are on the same CD. Of course, each song is done with the same high quality that the rest of the tracks on “Metridium Fields” are done in, but there does not seem to be the easy to anger temper of an act like Unexpect (another The End band). Giant Squid is a band that one sits and focuses in on for the entirety of the hour length of “Metridium Fields”. Even when the band sounds like they are creating very simple arrangements (as is the case during “Versus The Siren”), one needs to focus on the interplay between instruments as well the overall point of the track. Giant Squid is a band that defies easy categorization. The fact that each track brings up something completely different from the band means that at best, comparisons will be valid ini describing Giant Squid’s music for six or seven minutes. Better to just say that Giant Squid sounds like Giant Squid, and that anyone that wants to have their beliefs challenged down to their core, “Metridium Fields” is just the album to do that.

Top Tracks: Versus The Siren, Neonate

Rating: 7.2/10

Giant Squid – Metridium Fields / 2006 The End / 8 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/giantsquid / http://www.theendrecords.com / Reviewed 17 October 2006

[JMcQ]

Leave a Comment