A FINE LINE- Between the Here and Now
This is so slick. From their polished progressive metal to the neat production and tidy cover art, it’s hard to believe ‘Between the Here and Now’ is A Fine Line’s debut. The Florida foursome’s chunky, shifting riffs and upbeat tones are as good as any in the genre but Matt Levesque’s smooth, soulful voice sets them apart. Capable of lilting lullabies and huge choruses with no growls or bluster in between, there is a now-rare 90s feel to his voice that works really well with the band’s warm sound. Sure, at times he’s a little more Anthony Kiedis than anyone needs but he is A Fine Line’s trump card. Despite that and some moments of innovation (The melodic gang vocals of ‘Symmetry’, some electronic flourishes) the songs here do blend together, solid without ever being spectacular. Maybe it’s too slick, perhaps some grit, some musical and lyrical heft, would help, but considering what they’ve done already, there’s no denying A Fine Line have a bright future.
