ALBUM REVIEW: Interlaker – Interlaker
Social media may cause many ills in the modern world, but we can thank it for giving us INTERLAKER. The group began via messages over Instagram between former LONELY THE BRAVE frontman David Jakes and drummer Jack Wrench, the two sharing a mutual respect for their past musical endeavours despite minimal prior interaction. Demo track exchanges evolved into a collaborative (and almost entirely remote) songwriting process, culminating in an expansive, propulsive rock album debut.
The self-titled album cuts straight to the chase on the opening track The Hunger, immediately presenting the listener with jangly, spacious guitars and the warm, powerful tone of Jakes’ voice. “Why can’t you feel the hunger?” he cries out, desperately, over a chorus that deploys extra distortion and crashing cymbals to build on the vast sound. The outro demonstrates the best of Wrench‘s vibrant drumming style, a blitz of busy tom fills. Early single Ghostride takes a slower tempo and an inspiring, ascending synth line that plays with timing. It’s a thrilling exercise in ramping and releasing tension – the extended second chorus resolving into chiming guitar catharsis.
Jakes‘ vocal ability is without question and taken in multiple directions here. His range is evident on Call Out The Wolves (ostensibly an anti-Putin screed) and Be The One. The former’s extended outro sees him belting over tense chord changes; the latter showcases a more raw performance, close-miked over loose guitar strumming, a 16-beat pattern and echoing backing vocals. Both show an ear for a more modern pop line in the vocal melody, playing with clever rhythmic delivery and a mastery of pitch.
Wrench‘s work with ARCANE ROOTS, JAMIE LENMAN and a host of other artists has yielded an excellent ear for colossal rock hooks and song constructions. Of his extensive credits, INTERLAKER shares plenty of DNA with those artists. However, the more direct parallels are with early project INDYNAMICS, particularly in the layered guitar textures and escalations, but with all the math-rock and rough metal edges sanded away. Some of that nous is evident on End Unknown, which deceives with an early chorus, followed by another, much bigger chorus, tailor-made for crowds to belt along with on an opening percussion break. Spite Of Day’s oscillating melody sways the listener back and forth, evoking the inspiration of the band’s name of traversing water.
Most of the tracks are slower or mid-tempo pieces; more dramatic headbanging than frenetic mosh pit fare. Miracle almost sounds like a mid-90s American pop-rock track in its major key, bouncing strumming and earworm chorus. But the dark imagery of the lyrics adds an edge to an otherwise uplifting anthem. Coming Out slows the pace again with a gnarly minor-key riff and organ textures. Its chorus is dramatic – a repeated line both ascending musical scales and ramping tension, the layered backing vocals lending gravitas to Jakes’ proclamations.
Carving Circles takes things in another direction, a more muted song foregrounding a moody tone. The energy levels are taken down through its outro, flipping the typical script of the album, a tranquil moment of introspection. Interlaker concludes with an arena-ready guitar and vocal hook on Bottomless Pit. It’s a slow burner of a song that alternates between that fist-in-the-air hook and a more reflective refrain. With bombastic choirs and anguished primary and backing vocal lines, it possesses that unique album closer energy.
It’s a credit to the band that they can build a range of massive choruses and rock anthems without sounding repetitive. The vocal talent of Jakes and the drumming and instrumental nous of Wrench makes for a compelling pairing, a worthy demonstration of their abilities amounting to more than the sum of their parts. Fans of huge rock anthems will not be disappointed.
Rating: 8/10
Interlaker is set for release on October 25th via Hassle Records.
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