Albums by this artist

..As Floods Decrease (2000)

Brazen

..As Floods Decrease

---

» TROY CARPENTER | CO-DIRECTOR

Brazen ..As Floods Decrease Snuff, 2000 RiYL: Fugazi, Slint

Brazen has chosen a good name. The Swiss band's new EP ..As Floods Decrease, showcases a band with a lot of rock fuel, a lot of tension-release power. Over the course of the EP's five songs, Brazen stretches out somewhat within a solemn, heavy hardcore rock setting.

The rolling intro to initial track "The Opening Curse" is about as reserved as the band gets on the EP, as most tracks feature a hard-rocking, pace-shifting momentum with solid block guitar tones reminiscent of Slint or Fugazi in an all-business mood. The vocals most often take the form of intense screaming, which fits the tone of the music well, but is the one part of Brazen's music that can really sound repetitive over the course of the record.

This is definitely a band who works well together at moving through riff progressions under a blanket of distortion. The central "Vomp" well orchestrates this, moving from angular riffage into an energetic bridge and finally a full-fledged stomp, pounding its rhythm into your head before briefly chilling out and then racing to an abrupt finish.

Not all the songs on ..As Floods Decrease show incredible originality, but Brazen flexes its musical chops well on this second release and lives up to its name.

TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.