Acres – ‘In Sickness & Health’ [Review]
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Musicians often struggle to sum their art up in a handful of words – or, equally often, simply refuse to. It’s understandable, given that creative people naturally tend to be too close to and involved in their work to be able to stand back and take an outsider’s perspective. But on rare occasions, a band manage to hit the nail on the head with impressive concision.
Acres define their music as “sad songs for sad dudes,” and it is definitely that. In Sickness & Health comprises four monolithically heavy songs in the weighty, oppressive, template-establishing Overseer; Miles Apart; Gloom; and In Sickness & Health. Then, to close things off, we have a “Sad Song Version” of Miles Apart, all thick and effected clean guitars, solemn strings, and plaintive, mournful vocals.
There’s nothing bad about In Sickness & Health. Acres’ intention – to force the listener to feel the million-ton crush of major depression – is obvious, and it’s impressive that they manage to pull that off so effectively. For me, Gloom won out thanks to its Deftones vibe and awesome singalong section. Fucking epic. But all the same, it’s impossible to shake off the knowledge that this EP ultimately isn’t offering anything new.
When it comes to downbeat atmospheric heaviness, Acres own that territory. But personally, I’ve heard too many similar sad songs from too many other sad dudes already – and if Acres expanded their emotional range even a bit further, I would’ve loved this EP exponentially more. At the same time, I get that Acres are writing about what they’ve experienced and what they know, making In Sickness & Health an awkward mixed bag – for me, at least.
TMMP RATING: 75%
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