Avory - Foundations / Wreck

Reviewed for: The Metal Lab

Band: Avory

Release: Foundations / Wreck

Release date: August 23, 2019

Record label: self released

Genre: post-hardcore / alternative rock

From: Nothingham, UK

 

Avory is a 4-piece formed in 2018 consisting of Zack Corden on vocals and bass guitar, Jack Elsome on Drums Drew Mangham-Dewhurst and Jamie Haffield on guitars.

Foundations and Wreck is their second offering, having already released 2 songs in spring 2019.

 

The 2 songs sent to me for review, “Foundations” and “Wreck” are well composed and offer more complexities than mainstream rock, which would be the market Avory would have to compete in. The songs are mixed and polished, and would do well on mainstream radio. The mix is a bit too wet for my taste, and I think particularly the vocals would stand better out with less delay.

Most of the vocals are quite mellow, which makes the shouting vocals in the middle of “Wreck” an interesting contrast.

 

Unlike traditional hardcore, here is more focus on melody, harmonics and the songs are more complex. In addition to post-hardcore and alternative, I would also place the band a bit in the post-rock camp.
I like the guitar arrangements on the songs, particularly the slow part on “Foundations”. It’s very clear that all band members are skilled musicians. I would have liked a bit more energy on the drums on the screamed part of “Wreck”, as that would have made the instrumental part more in line with the vocals.

The 2 songs sent to me for review have a smoother production than the first 2 songs they released, however it seems to me that they lost some energy from the 2 first songs. Together on an album, the variation in the 4 songs would be less of an issue, however with Foundations and Wreck being a stand alone release, I would have wanted more drums and less delay in the mix.

The sound of the submitted songs reminds me a bit of the German prog band Subsignal, as well as later Lake of Tears.
All in all, I think it will be interesting to see how this band develops. With only 2 years together as a band, they have barely started to tap into their potential. I would urge the band to take more risks in future songwriting, and really play out their full potential as musicians. It would also be interesting to see if the band will take the melancholy parts of the songs all out and do more minor scale and harmonies.

 

Follow the band on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvoryMusic/

Buy the music at bandcamp: https://avory.bandcamp.com/