Maybe it shouldn’t be refreshing to hear a band sing in their own distinctive accent, but Sam McTrusty’s nasally Scottish tones are a joy to behold. Playing music in a genre dominated by Americans there is no way you could ever tag Twin Atlantic with copying their US counterparts. With a sound that’s part Circa Survive and part Fightstar, McTrusty’s Scot-tinged vocals give his band the edge on many of the other acts doing the same thing at the minute. This four-track EP showcases a very accomplished sound and you can understand why there’s a bit of a buzz about them – especially in their native Scotland.
Recorded with Romesh Dodangoda this EP sounds very, very good. It’s clean with the vocals standing out in impressive fashion. ‘Audience and Audio’ is a cracking opener, while the twisting guitars of ‘I cave In’ show how the band can mix up the melodic with heavier verses. It’s a trait the band nail on each of the four songs as they maintain some pretty impressive melodic elements without losing sense of what they are trying to achieve. While I hate to quote press releases Twin Atlantic are both infectious and memorable and are breathing life into a tired and predictable genre of music. They’re definitely going to be ones to watch in 2008.