SANS VISAGE, LOOK AT MOMENT- ‘Split’
This would count as a killer one-two punch, if Tokyo’s Sans Visage and the quirkily-named Look At Moment actually wanted to kill. Instead, both groups have learned lessons from screamo stalwarts like Suis La Lune and Loma Prieta, and have tempered their hardcore sounds with slow-burning intensity, elements of post-rock, and grungy melody. Sans Visage start ‘Deception’ with a menacing guitar line but layer in bouncy bass and indie riffing until the whole thing starts to sound almost upbeat. Bass comes to the fore again on ‘Desperation’, but this time acts as an anchor through more abstract, mostly instrumental territory. The trio’s 2017 album was excellent, but these songs might be the best they’ve written. Look At Moment only contribute a single track but it’s excellent- a passionate, relentless but still palatable wave of noise that reminds me of the heavier moments of a band like Thursday. All three songs sound like they’ve been left out in the sun too long in the best kind of way too- not brittle, but warped and warm and thick. There’s a note of nostalgia to it all, but a breath of fresh air too. Hey, maybe I can call it killer after all. A bonus point for compelling artwork courtesy of Anandhika Primawan.
