Resin – The Cycle of Need
It’s been an eventful road for Resin, it wasn’t so long ago that they seemed to be over completely.
I watched them play a farewell show as most of the old line up decided to call it quits despite the fact they’d just come off the back of a very successful year. They’d got themselves in and amongst the UK scene in great fashion, receiving plaudits from most places for their lives shows and being invited to play Bloodstock’s Jagermeister stage. This was before they had a chance to release and album and win another slot at Bloodstock. The only negative was a now comically infamous bad review for their self produced album “Embrace the Fall”, which became a badge of honour and amusement amongst their fans.
So as strange as it was to see them split at such a pivotal time, it was a relief t0 see Simon and Mark decide to forge forward. They had a good thing going, and plenty fans who wanted to hear more. Plus the good will gathered from their efforts supporting the scene not only in their locality, but farther afield as well, proved that Resin should continue and rebuild like many bands have done before.
It’s taken some time and it’s been a rocky road, but this new full length album “The Cycle of Need” is a worthy addition to your collection.
Born very much of the 90’s grunge era, Resin’s influences are worn very much on their sleeves and I think they are stronger for it. Hearing their take on the Seattle sound feels refreshing in a scene which at times feels a little cluttered with the Doom, Death or Thrash revivalists. Their dark tones offer a sombre vibe, with a melancholy that suits and plays off well amongst the more prolific genres in the UK underground scene, and lets them sit amongst line ups of much heavier bands.
Not to say there is no energy in this piece, There’s groove to spare and upped tempo when needed like in the building chorus of “Clouds” and verses of “Open heart trauma”. But truth be told Resin excel when their songs build from those dark moods into the heavier and epic sections. Whether the pay off is a vocal melody or a sprawling guitar solo, many of Resin’s songs are about the build and pay off. Using the extra guitar and the violin gives them an extra layer to add crescendo and feel when changing direction, and they make great use of them.
The addition of a violin may have raised a few eyebrows, mine included; but they have managed to write it into songs that they had been playing for a while in an impressive manner. Often I’ve found myself unsure how to explain the vibe the violin adds, the main riffs of “Shitstorm” gives off a western country-esque swagger whilst the beginning of “Poison” brings the Celtic folk angle into play. But neither take away from the core grunge and metal style Resin foster, and like I said before, it brings an extra tool to play with when expressing emotion into their music.
Adding layers is tricky at the best times, but thankfully there’s plenty of space for all the instruments to speak for themselves. Producer Neil Hudson of Initiate Audio and Media (Krysthla, Mage, Temple of Lies) has done a great job balancing the six piece into a balanced harmony that they can be proud of.
I’ve got this far without mentioning Dave Gandon’s vocals, who sits perfectly atop of the music expressing the full range of emotions at his disposal. Once again, it’s clear where his inspirations lie and it’s because of them that he is such a good fit for Resin.
Their final track “Blood of Angels” is a wonderful closer and rounds off an album with range and heart. Any critics of their first album should take note of the efforts put in to make The Cycle of Need the varied and interesting album that it is. Fans of classic grunge and heavy rock will find plenty to enjoy here, there’s a song for all moods here but Resin focus on a chilled Melancholy and they hit the target every time.
9/10
The Cycle of Need is released on 14th July.
Resin are:
Dave Gandon: Vocals/Guitar
Mark ‘Chez’ Roseby: Guitar/Vocals
Simon Yarwood: Guitar
Drask George: Bass/Vocals
Ryan ‘Sticks’ Hextall: Drums/Percussion
Emma Bennett: Violin
Track listing:
1. Never Learn
2. Monster
3. Shitstorm
4. Clouds
5. Angel
6. Burn
7. Poison
8. Open Heart Trauma
9. Bonus track: Blood Of Angels
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