New York, NY (Top40 Charts) On Swayed, I:Scintilla's brand new studio record and first full-length release since 2010, the band poses several questions - and attempts just as many answers. The album's explosive, punk-influenced opening track, Human, has frontwoman Brittany Bindrim asking, "Does this make us human?" It is a fitting initial question when you consider the band's new sound - a deep studio exploration that favors organic instrumentation over programmed sounds. But that is just the beginning...
'Carmena Saturna', the album's first single, mixes biting guitar riffs with schizophrenic vocals that go from powerful to mellow to creepy before the entire song deconstructs. On 'Boxing Glove', Bindrim poses more questions, "Where is the love? / Where is the break?" over slinky, hard-hitting grooves penned by bassist Dean Dunakin. 'Nothing But Recordings' features a post-punk / new-wave vibe never heard from the band before - piano gives way to synthesizer which, in turn, gives way to driving bass, fuzzed guitars, and distorted rhythms. All three songs feature some of the catchiest, mind-infecting vocal lines on the record.
When that introspective mood may strike, look no further than 'Mercy Screams'. It captures some of the most beautiful moments in I:Scintilla's entire catalog. It is a gorgeous, yet strange, composition that cannot be put into words. Following suit are 'Seaglass' and 'Pieces', each capturing difficult subjects - addiction and death - through powerful, uplifting movements. New guitarist Myles Arwine shines in the latter's outro with a deeply emotional lead.
The band can still flex its industrial-rock muscle, which is showcased on 'DFTD (Between the Devils)' and 'Island'. The former swings and thumps through different tempos and time signatures, lead by powerful drumming from
Vincent Grech and Bindrim barking, "Validation / Generations / Leaping between the devils." 'Island', one of several tracks that clock in over six minutes, features tightly crafted guitar riffs and intricate synthesizer work from longtime member Jim Cookas.
The album closer is the title track, 'Swayed', which clocks in at eleven minutes. It is the ultimate apocalyptic punctuation mark for the record. The five band members fire on all cylinders on this odd, yet amazingly impactful, musical journey: tribal rhythms, shoegaze fuzz with soaring vocals, abstract electronics, and one of the heaviest endings you'll ever hear. Throughout the entire album, Bindrim's lyrics question many aspects of life, reality, and society, she dedicates the last few minutes of the record to just one - have you been swayed?
