Reviewed by Ian Webber

Bookended by the sound of a tree being felled, this concept album has an intriguing slant. The band spent time building the guitars and drums used on this recording from scratch and the mix and production only add to the authentic earthy feel of the 10 tracks on offer. Alongside a strong concept, the songwriting skills of these Idaho-based lads has matured from what was a critically acclaimed debut. Layers of guitars flood the recording whilst a cacophony of whoops, clicks and shouts in the background add together to produce a complex and exciting mix. In addition, Dawson and Kyle Scholz together produce a vocal delivery that sounds like their vocal chords have been shredded. With elements of hardcore, punk and metal this is a truly inventive fusion. The group blend the many variations together seamlessly, including the southern groove of "Feel" and "Falling" which sit alongside the surprising "Melody" with its clean vocals and Mumford-esque ukulele. Guitar feedback and a stomping rhythm in "Soul" introduce the satirical shouts of "I sold my soul to the devil." This recording certainly avoids pigeonholing right the way through to the keyboard intro to the final track. The Ongoing Concept have succeeded in producing a clever, surprising sound that sees them finding their own artistically inventive niche.

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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