Underage Yet Not Under-Rated
To be perfectly honest I say Wales, you think sheep. Am I not right? [Hmmm. – The Half Welsh Ed] Well times are changing my friends. Take for example Funeral for a Friend, Lost Prophets and Dopamine to name but a few. All good bands – all of which are Welsh. Added to Wales’ portfolio of talent is Adzuki, an emergent four piece, all bright eyed and bushy tailed (at an average age of seventeen).
What they produce with this debut EP ‘Transitions’ is remarkable if we take into account how long they can have possibly been a band in comparison with bands that work their whole lives and get no where. You know what they say though: the youth is the future.
Starting of with ‘Five Four’ we have a light hearted drum beat with occasional guitar stabs to really set it off. Lead singer Dan’s voice still has the soundings of youth however is resplendent with the maturity of the music they are producing. The song shows off that these boys know their way around their instruments like the back of their hands as it moves from a pacey chorus, to a lilting interlude, with a crashing ending.
The more emotional sounds of ‘Transitions’ then exude from the speakers. A tragic tale of love entwines with gentle guitars. Then the angst builds and the song bursts out into a poignant blast of raw energy and sensation which peaks and troughs in depth and volume to give the sing great dexterity. ‘Untimid’ has the soundings of a classic Hell is for Heroes track – beginning slow and serene it gives the same air as ‘Transitions’ has done yet the heartbreak involved in this track is more grandiose. The song climaxes with heart-wrenching lyricism and plays out in the most tranquil of moments.
‘Losing Today’ starts with more up beat drum beat and jagged guitars, becoming a more torment ridden verse. The music altogether is heavier and Adzuki prove that they can give it to you however you like it, hard or soft. The drive behind this song pushes the EP into a new league just as the final song, ‘Today Is History’, opens with riffs and lyrics to die for (literally), “I’m missing my demise and wishing my whole life away.” Here the band go from crashing drums and bashing guitars to sudden lulls with Dan’s voice covering the whole procedure. It is definitely a case of last but not least with this song feeling to be the best on the whole EP – with rocking verses and the subtleties that let you know you’re listening to Adzuki.