Here In Filth
COMMAND! Records
5 Stars

Ultra Violent Lights’ debut album, Here In Filth, might initially give curious listeners the wrong impression. Sure, the band’s moniker makes them sound dangerous and the album’s title gives a gritty impression, but what actually is on the album is more than just grit, grime and anger-inspired songs. A press release for the band stated that the band has drawn “comparisons to everything from Nirvana to Echo And The Bunnymen,” seems like it could be overstating things a bit. The weird thing is, when listening to the album those similarities actually stand out. This isn’t just a public relations’ firm overblown rhetoric, this is actually true. And the result of this amalgamation? A strong album that might have one or two tracks that don’t fit, but overall has some excellent music on it.

“Skin & Bones” finds a line somewhere between serious rock and pop-rock. The song has its bouncy moments on the chorus and the verses have a little more bite and sting. The guitars are loud, the drumming fast and the vocals are carefully balanced between screaming and actual singing. It is this careful teetering between extremes that makes the song so good. Had Ultra Violent Lights let it tip in one direction or the other, the song wouldn’t have been nearly as good or fun.

Unfortunately, “Spiders Eat The Flies” slows things down a bit too much and the song lacks the punch and vigor of “Skin & Bones.” “Some Kind Of Season” succeeds where “Spiders Eat The Flies” didn’t. The track still has a slower tempo, but the slightly creepy vocals and a chorus pulling in grunge influences make the song far more interesting than “Spiders Eat The Flies.” Had the grunge movement come about in 2009, this band would likely have been part of the movement.

If the album’s title track hadn’t been such a good song, it would seem completely out of place on the album. The acoustic track still has a very grim tone if one listens carefully to the lyrics, but the simple guitar melody is quite out of place compared to heavier, “plugged-in” tracks like “Skin & Bones” and “Some Kind Of Season.” Luckily for the band, the song is well-written and appealing, despite these differences.

“In Lieu Of Pay” gets things back on a harder track and may remind some listeners of “Big Empty” by Stone Temple Pilots. In fact, the song could fit in perfectly on The Crow soundtrack (for those of you that remember that album). It has that same crunchy guitar sound overlaid with a melancholy melody and dark feel.

While there are one or two occasions when the songs not only don’t fit the overall approach of the album, but also lack a bit of spark, Here In Filth as a whole is a strong album that may awaken nostalgia in some listeners for the days of Kurt Cobain and the grunge scene of the early ’90s. Many bands should be lucky to have such a strong debut album and Ultra Violent Lights have a great deal to be proud of with this showing. –EVELYN MISKA

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