Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno fronting a band that is, to all intents and purposes a version of ISIS was always going to be a recipe for something monumental, and with their eponymous debut, Palms surpass all expectations.
The gently swaying, and dare I say it, palm-like rolling rhythm and guitar of ‘Future Warrior’ breaks into a chorus that’s more than worthy of being described as ‘epic’, and it’s followed by ‘Patagonia’ that turns up the volume and emotional intensity another couple of notches to stunning effect.
The loud / soft dynamics that define the band’s sound isn’t employed predictably, sometimes gently building through quiet spells almost long enough to lead the listener to believe the splash won’t actually come. But the quieter passages are rich in atmosphere and create a broad span of emotional textures, accentuated by Moreno’s intuitive vocals.
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That they don’t depend on volume to create intensity is one of the album’s strengths: the dreamy, almost shoegaze ‘Tropics’ and closer ‘Polar Handshake’ drift and shimmer, slowly unfurling in soft focus.
Across the broad sonic vistas and mesmeric expanse of sound lie every hue between light and dark. It all adds up to a seriously strong album that you don’t simply listen to, but explore.
Palms Online
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