Beyond Dreams of Grandeur - Beyond Dreams of Grandeur
As snobby as it may seem, first impressions really do count for something, especially in today's sink or swim music industry. It's a saying that any artist, irrespective of genre, should keep in mind incessantly when creating their debut release. After all, if punters like what they hear from the get-go, chances are they'll check out future material.
Unfortunately this phrase and whole concept seems to have slipped the mind of Birmingham-based Beyond Dreams of Grandeur, whose self-titled EP just doesn't quite make the cut.
It isn't that the band haven't tried, but more ironically have focused far too heavily on being diverse and fusing genres.
Indeed, the self-proclaimed post-hardcore bunch, who present a range of styles and sounds, filter from fast and loud to soft and melodious throughout the record, offering many half-hearted attempts yet never nailing one successfully.
Whether it is opener 'Dust Brings Shells' or mellow 'The World Loves An Underdog', the songs never get off the ground, leaving listeners frustrated and all-to-ready to hit the stop button.
Stretching 20 minutes, the five-track record is a bit of a letdown from a group, who clearly have got the potential to pen some decent tunes if they just knuckled down and stuck to something specific.
Regrettably the 'genre-bending geniuses' title these Brummies were striving for has gone down the pan, but perhaps this initial error of trying to please too many will spark a precise and perfect full-length.