iLiKETRAiNS
ILiKETRAiNS are a unique and singular force, a band like no other who frequent a world which sits in “dark contrast to the rest of the music scene”. Their influences are diverse and far-removed from those of your average band; it is extremely rare for example to find a band these days whose primary inspiration is derived from historical events. Indeed, such influences may lead people to label the band as one publication did as “Library rock”, but the intensity and force with which their songs are delivered provides a formidable and colossal musical package which is quite unlike anything else contemporary.
‘We Go Hunting’ is a typically fierce, fiery epic which was inspired by the “chaos and paranoid hysteria” experienced by those accused in the Salem witch trials. It may seem a strange choice of subject to write about, but it is an inspired one. The song perfectly encapsulates the pandemonium and atmosphere of mistrust which was prevalent during the Salem trials. Like the trials themselves it is “short, sharp and brutal” burning with a scorching intensity and showcases the band as dynamic, enigmatic and beautifully morose. It is unlikely to be a fixture on Radio 1’s playlist, but nonetheless it shines as a work of disturbing genius.
Equally enjoyable is the B-side ‘More Weight’, a delicate, understated piece again inspired by the witch trials. These words were the last uttered by Giles Corey, a man who was slowly crushed to death in the trials on suspicion of being a wizard. The yearning reticence of ‘More Weight’ provides an introspective juxtaposition with the dramatic bombast of ‘We Go Hunting’ and showcases a more minimalist side to the band’s sound. This is a great single from an extremely powerful and rousing band.