If you can’t sing, why bother trying to? Worn In Red has potential to be something great, but their vocals just aren’t there yet. It’s difficult to have a good album when the vocals are pitchy. Guitarist Brendan Murphy and bassist Matt Neagle should let someone else sing, because it doesn’t sound good.
The first song on Banshees isn’t completely awful. It’s fairly catchy, but that’s about all there is to say. While the next few sound the same, track number six, “Gold Jacket,” is different. It’s heavier, which seems to be their niche. When the guys try to add any type of harmonies in, that’s where it goes south. This song is slightly reminiscent of old Thursday, but with worse vocals.
There comes a point in time when all of the songs begin to sound redundant. Because the vocals all sounding similar, it’s difficult to distinguish between songs at times. The chorus in “White Heavens/Dark Daydreams” is dreadful due to the attempts to sing on key. The music behind the ninth track, “Charlatan’s Lullaby,” is actually good, but yet again, the vocals ruin it. I understand that simply screaming isn’t really a new thing these days, and we’ve heard it all before, but yelling isn’t very inviting either. When an entire CD sounds the same, maybe it’s time to try a different approach.
The band’s 2009 release, In The Offing, was much heavier. Gritty screams and hardcore tunes were abundant. A lot of the album is comprised of long intro’s, which puts the focus on the music. The raw energy and pure talent was evident, but it failed to make an appearance on Banshees. Maybe changing your sound isn’t always beneficial, and sometimes, going back to your roots is the best option.
In A Word: Average
