ALBUM REVIEW: Return To Dust – Return To Dust
There’s always a lot of pressure with a debut LP and it’s got to more or less capture what the band is all about and the sound they’re going for, but it seems RETURN TO DUST have nailed this with their self-titled LP. It’s a grungy, punky thrill ride and it captures exactly what the band is all about.
Black Road wastes no time coming in heavy with a simple but crushing guitar part, whilst the drums set the driving tone and force the track forward. The vocals have a grungy feel to them, not quite exploding but surely opening up where necessary. The solo incorporates some great string bends whilst the drums keep the whole thing grounded. Next track Belly Up contemplates life and death and is accompanied with whining guitar parts whilst the bass and drums give the track a thick texture creating an impending sense of doom. This track feels thematically accurate as to what the band is conveying here and it sounds great. It kind of leads into the next track Anyway I Die, but this one slows things down with a more laid-back feel which grows into the chorus parts which come down strong. It’s a slow jam and lyrically it’s a little dark but it’s still a great track overall.
The single Face Down is certainly a crowd-pleaser. It’s easy to get on board with as it’s got an earwormy chorus and the verses just walk through the track. The guitar solo works like a shot of adrenaline that takes its time. Anthemic in parts whilst more reserved in others, this one is a good time. Bad News is a roaring track that has more of a post-hardcore feel to it with the heavily distorted guitars, pounding drumlines, and little space to breathe. The vocals are more wailed than sung with despair. It’s infectious and doesn’t let up for the entirety of its almost three-minute runtime. Going into About The World, this track is still big with heavy use of bass and drums that creates a more theatrical punk rock feel. Its vocals are more loose and guttural in the chorus and more upfront and simple in the verses. The band seem to have abandoned any frills or fancy stuff here and just gone with raw energy and these tracks are awesome.
A change of pace is the single Strangers, which has a mostly acoustic style and more of a dreamy feel. It’s a more slowed-down track in the verses whilst the chorus comes in strong but without letting it get away. It’s restrained and it feels as if that restraint is bubbling underneath the entire track and comes through in the choruses. It’s a slower but heavy track and incorporates a blistering solo. The end of the album comes in the form of When You Look At Me. With heavy bass lines, this is a huge track with more grunge feels than before. It’s got a slower tempo in the verses and the vocals are easier going as it’s just a simple rhythmic jam but it’s got that extra layer in the chorus that is a reminder that these guys are happy to go wild and this track even incorporates a metal vibe.
As the band’s first full-length album, Return To Dust is promising to say the least. It’s full of great tracks that perfectly capture the 90s height of grunge feel whilst still being relevant and sounding like they belong right now. RETURN TO DUST are one of those bands keeping grunge alive and very much kicking.
Rating: 8/10
Return To Dust is set for release on May 3rd via Jim Kaufman Productions.
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