[CD REVIEW] 光景消逝 (The Hindsight) – 在眼淚中看見希望 (From Dripping Tears, He Saw Hopes) (2010)

Taiwan may not be know for it’s post-hardcore bands, but natives 光景消逝 (The Hindsight) definitely stand out.  After scoring a big hit with “Eye Contact” on their debut A Vow we Made, fans have been waiting patiently for their next album.  Now 3 year later, the band is back with a long titled one –– 在眼淚中看見希望 (From Dripping… Hopes).  This time around, the band has taken a more serious and heavy approach.  The resulting album is chock full of emotional vocals, fast paced riffing and intense drumming.  The band also dabbles into areas that they did not explore on their debut, such as calmer and more brooding arrangements ala post-rock music.  While these changes are welcome, there are also attempts at integrating musical elements that may seem at odds to the band’s signature sound.

Opening track “映照出我的歡愉” (“Act I: Mirror My Mirth Act I”), hits home instantly –– with a memorable shifting octave riff that lays the groundwork for Jay’s guttural screams and contrasting melodic lines.  This track sets the tone for the whole album, which is full of double bass drumming, sweeping melodic chorus lines and maniacal riff work.  The shift towards the heavier is refreshing and brings out a new-found intensity that I felt was lacking in their previous album.  The next track “時尚?” (“Fashion?”) does not let up one bit, and feels like a continuation of the mood established in “Act 1”.  Slightly off-putting though is the auto-tune voice that ends the track here; sounding like something from a T-Pain song, comes off feeling awkward.  This cursed electronic voice effect also creeps up on the 8th track “縫起來” (“Stitch It Up”), which also ends the song in a strange way.  Luckily the ethereal attempts at sound expansion more than make up for this slight annoyance.  What I mean are the moody and slower moments on tracks such as “仍然” (“Still”) and “最終劇” (“Final Act”), the fragile sounding arpeggios and emotional build-ups feel like seismic waves that hit hard with emotion and honesty.  For fans of their more melodic side, there are also lighter weight tracks such as “一個理由” (“A Reason”) that recalls the band of old.

On From Dripping…Hope, the Hindsight is back with a vengeance and should not disappoint either their long time fans or newcomers.  Though the band does stumble a bit due to one or two dubious musical choices.  The overall effect is satisfying and the band should be evidence that Taiwan can produce the sounds of post-hardcore as good as anywhere else –– welcome back guys.

Recommended tracks: 01, 11, 12

Track Listing:
01. 映照出我的歡愉 (Act I: Mirror My Mirth Act I)
02. 時尚? (Fashion?)
03. 真實的我們 (Real Us)
04. 反對自己的存在 ( 想念你 ) (The Opposite of Aseity ( I Miss You )
05. 仍然(Still)
06. 還有更多更悲傷的故事…別感到羞愧 (There Are Much More Sad Stories Sadder Than Yours…Don`t Shame Yourself)
07. 霧 (Mist)
08. 縫起來 (Stitch It Up)
09. 一個理由 (A Reason)
10. 切不斷的相互依賴 (Inseverable Relativity)
11. 最終劇 (Final Act)
12. 雨不停的下 (Always Raining)

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lojun

I like to spend my time on the internet searching for the meaning of life. When I am not doing this you can find me listening to music or playing the bass…or stuffing myself silly on Burritos.

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