The Twilight Transmission – The Dance of Destruction / 2005 Revelation / 8 Tracks / http://www.thetwilighttransmission.com / http://www.thetwilighttransmission.com / Reviewed 05 November 2005

The Twilight Transmission start off their “Dance of Destruction” with a vocal style that is not quite unlike Dexter’s from the Offspring. The guitar work does not lend itself to categorization among any one specific genre, but does well in being appropriate to Jae’s vocals. This means that the guitar/bass/drum dynamic really does a great job in bolstering the scope and authority pushed forward by Jae into tracks that are catchy enough to be on mainstream radio but in a way that will entice music fans of all stripes. Far from being hardcore in any normal sense, this is a brand of rock that pulls fairly heavily from both progressive metal acts like Helloween as much as it does the metal-punk bands of the late nineties (most notably Sum 41.)

What results are that tracks like “Flux” are ones that are driven by the guitars and vocals present, with the band raging even as their instrumentation belies that fact. The cohesion that is shown through this disc is impressive; the all their own style played by The Twilight Transmission is fleshed out a little further by following tracks, but these following tracks make sure to stay within the general framework first given the band by tracks like “Sleepers” and “Flux”. Moving into an even more vocal tradition for “The Flow”, Jae actually gives listeners a harmony that is doubled up at times by some soulful guitar solos. The band is tied together enough to really move beyond individuals playing a track and into the realm of a unitary actor. What may prove to be a problem for The Twilight Transmission is the fact that they play something that is so different from anything else that is currently oput on the market; it may just be five or ten years between now and when the band is properly appreciated.

What is titillating during tracks like “The Thirst” is that Jae’s vocals do not sound like the typically over-dubbed fare coming from practically any other band; there is a bit of human weakness that is showcased instead of stifled. In the space of only eight tracks, The Twilight Transmission has set the stage for both their and music’s future. Without a stinker among the eight tracks on “The Dance of Destruction”, this rock, punk and metal band has hit hard and will hopefully hit hard again in the years to come. Find this album and purchase it at any price.

Top Tracks: Lights Out, The Flow

Rating: 7.3/10

[JMcQ]