Reviewed by Helen Whitall

'Outfall' is the guitar-driven first album from the Californian rock band of the same name. This is a group clearly influenced by the classic rock of the 1970s and '80s, with a heavy emphasis on improvised guitar solos. Whilst it sounds impressively like the solos incorporated throughout were recorded live in one take, to the point you can almost feel the sweat, it does mean that live-performance-style errors of timing and experimental notes that don't quite work creep in frequently. Add into the mix a singer who sounds at times like he's not sure exactly when to come in or is struggling to keep up, and a rather imperfect mix, and it unfortunately sounds a tad amateurish. The vocals are somewhat weak and hesitant; this is particularly noticeable on "Just Me", which attempts some metal attitude but ends up sounding like he's worried about upsetting the neighbours by making too much noise. A more powerful singer could have made this as heavy as it wanted to be. Fade-out endings are also seriously overused, even when tracks feel like they could resolve easily. However, two tracks do stand out from the crowd: "This Soul", about the choice that faces us over our soul's destiny, opens with guitars screaming like sirens and then moves into an upbeat rock track, with the vocals actually keeping pace this time. The frenetic pace works a lot better than the slower tracks and "Temple Electric", an instrumental jam with a great beat, riffing some eastern scales. The soloing gets a bit unhinged again in places but is brought back, and you can imagine the band rocking it out on a festival stage. It also actually ends, and with an explosive burst of feedback at that! An album which is good in parts.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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