Title: Metal Heart
Artist: The Kick
Genre: Electro / Rock
Release Date: 19th June 2009
Label: Subspace Communications
Album Review
THE KICK is the solo project of Swedish artist David Sundqvist. It started out as a creative outlet for ideas that never found its place in any of his other bands or projects. But as time went by it became David’s main interest. The Subspace Communication’s label saw the potential and took him under their wings and released the first single ‘Dancer’ the upcoming winter. After two more singles, namely ‘My Darkest Hour’ and ‘Freak’, the debut album ‘Metal Heart’ is done and ready to invade homes across Europe and beyond.
A fidgety machine sequence runs into dirty beats and you know it’s Game’ time. One can sense a subtle tension building up as the song progresses erupting in a vibrant chorus. With ‘Dancer’ and an introduction made of quirky samples we’re getting a genuine disco track to dance to but the beats are broken and bruised just like the track’s mood which is pretty gloomy at that. Not the typical disco track don’t you think? ‘Freak’, another single release from the album, is a track, where everyone who doesn’t initially start dancing to the pounding drums proves they’re almost dead. The adrenaline starts rushing through the veins and the legs start moving and as soon as the energetic chorus, filled with driving guitars, starts there can be no holding back anymore. “I am a freak a mess of mixed emotions / I am a freak the kind that make no sense”. That keeps echoing in my head on and on and on and it will do the same in yours too. The mellow ‘Voices’, first builds around a chopped vocal sample and a little sequence! Seconds pass and gentle melodic sprinkles are added, complemented by a soft echoing beat and opens up later with guitar textures reminiscent of shoegaze.
First you’re just hearing a strange brooding coming up from the depth before the crushing force of brachial machine beats distracts our attention from it and the intense atmosphere and profound chant take you all in. But David’s kept the undisputed highlight ‘The Hours’ until the end. Its first tones bleed away warmth and fragility just as David’s beautiful voice does here. The brittle guitar chords and soft drums that come in, subordinate to him until halfway into the song it gets a kind of power boost and distorted guitar and more vibrant drums dominate leading the song to its end.
From disco over industrial accents to alternative rock! THE KICK’s debut album ‘Metal Heart’ oozes diversity and therefore is nothing for people frantically clinging to one specific genre may it be rock or electronics. But only with an open mind you’ll get the full experience and I know there’s lots of people that have one, so I’m sure the album will become an overall success. Both thumbs up!
Tracklist
01. Game - 3:49
02. Dancer - 3:10
03. Freak - 3:13
04. Let it Be - 2:49
05. My Darkest Hour - 3:02
06. Voices - 4:07
07. Flashing Like Scissors - 2:43
08. White Light - 2:41
09. Black Wings - 3:33
10. This Town - 3:13
11. Answers - 3:50
12. The Hours - 4:11
Line-up
David Sundqvist
Website
http://thekick.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/thekicksweden
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10
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