EP REVIEW: Canvas – Blank Atlas

Alternative rock in 2018 is a scene so overfilled with overrated copycats, it may as well be brandished with the same disregard we give the London Underground on a Monday morning rush hour journey. Bristol’s BLANK ATLAS are minnows in an ocean of noise, and on their sophomore EP Canvas, they struggle to swim above the surface of alt-rock trios fighting for space. Like most alt-rockers in the last several years, BLANK ATLAS sound like a pick-n-mix of scene heavyweights and one-time up and comers, coming off as the awkward lovechild of multi-era BIFFY CLYRO and Lighthouse-era MALLORY KNOX.

When BLANK ATLAS are MALLORY KNOX-aping in all their glory on closer Envy, you’d be forgiven for feeling as if the trio were doing themselves a disservice. Bland hooks fumble over all-too-heard-before riffs that rattle and rumble without a weighty rhythm section to back it up; it’s a meat and potatoes affair. The disservice, however, is seen throughout Canvas in the rare moments Blank Atlas disregard the alt-rock rule book and rip into math-rock mutilating guitars that crunch in a jingly jangling fashion that Infinity Land-era BIFFY CLYRO would’ve been proud of.

Opener I Was Told This Is How Wars Start is a colourful blast of dissonant rhythmic structures stretched over post-rock plains that erupt over hard-hitting harmonic hooks. Halfway There is a headbanging bag of riffage with a chorus so solid you’ll be singing it in the shower. These two diamonds in the rough make listening to Canvas a bittersweet experience. For in the opening one-two salvo, BLANK ATLAS has crafted some potential-riddled bangers. Unfortunately, single Sing For Something doesn’t quite hit the same beat, and Borrowed Time sounds too much like modern-day Blink-182 to take seriously, letting the side down solemnly.

Canvas is at once a compelling and complexing collection of songs whilst simultaneously being another addition to the pile of bedroom-born alt-rock adoring trios climbing out of the south of England this decade. If BLANK ATLAS can tap into the post-and-math-rock structures that hide away at the heart of Canvas, they could well be on to something, but for now, they fall into line with the rest of the pack.

Rating: 5/10

Canvas is set for release on October 5th via self-release. 

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