Aconite Thrill - The Recliner
It’s interesting. That’s the first impression that springs to mind when listening to Aconite Thrill’s debut LP, The Recliner. At heart, it’s a very strong collection of abrasive yet satisfying rock tunes, but that alone is not a decent enough summary of an album clearly brimming with diverse influences.
There’s emo here, evident especially in opening track Maps to Mornings, a fairly radio-friendly introduction. But throughout the album, this style intertwines and twists with an immense amount of rock sub-genres, from grunge to metal to punk and with undertones of practically everything in between. But far from a disparate amalgamation of styles, The Recliner always sounds natural; never forced or disjointed.
In terms of direct comparisons, Glassjaw was a band that immediately sprung to mind, but that’s still not too accurate a description of Aconite Thrill’s sound. It’s probably more akin to fellow upcoming genre-breakers yourcodenameis:milo, complete with the irregular rhythms, complex guitar riffs and screaming vocals that will doubtless help both bands stand out from the rest of the pack.
Musically, Aconite Thrill are certainly very elaborate. It's the sort of music that, if you tried to dance to it, you'd just look like a fool, moving when you weren't supposed to and going completely out of time. Guitars trill and blaze up and down the fret board, drum fills are commonplace and intricate... and yet at no point does it sound too flashy. It’s effectively complex, as opposed to the kind which ultimately descends into a brash wall of sound.
In all, The Recliner is a successful debut. There’s still room for improvement, and at times it does seem that the band hasn’t quite found its sound yet, but this is nevertheless a fine introduction for Aconite Thrill.