There was a period, particularly in the mid-nineties, when any band of a particular ilk starting to get noticed was dubbed ‘the new Nirvana’. It was like a curse and in general such bands vanished into obscurity with alarming speed (the ill-fated Kerbdog and Radish being prime examples). Thus, alarm bells immediately rang when Steak Number Eight’s press release dubbed the frontman/guitarist Brent Vanneste “a new Kurt Cobain” – a phrase as likely to be the kiss of death as a selling point.
Brent does not sound like Kurt Cobain. If you were to pick a point of reference you’d be looking more in the direction of Chino Moreno, but even that is only a starting point – better just to state that he screams with ferocious intensity and leave it at that, before moving on to the music which is almost ubiquitously excellent. Take the grinding, snarling opener ‘Dickhead’ which cruises on a bruising riff that would not sound out of place on the latest Mastadon record, or second track ‘pyromaniac’ in which Brent unleashes barrages of screams over a multi-layered musical framework that drifts across the realms of post-metal and Deftones-esque nu-metal without really falling into either camp. It’s an inspiring start to the album, and as the seven-minute ‘Pyromaniac’ fades away we’re eased into ‘the calling’ which is strangely like a hard-rock lullaby complete with cooed vocals and dreamy melodies, although the angular stabs of guitar that made the first two tracks so thrilling are still in evidence as the track progresses. ‘Black fall’ starts off in an equally gentle frame of mind, notes rippling over each other whilst the toms generate a gentle sense of urgency which soon develops into something altogether more unsettling. The band’s sense of dynamics and light and shade are remarkable, with each song carefully constructed for maximum impact and the production balanced just right to bring out the best of each of the four musicians.
‘Stargazing’ sees the moody, bass-heavy guitars of the first two tracks come storming back in, but it’s still quite slow-burning, with the guitars and bursts of aggression reined in over a verse that rarely lets loose making sure that the chorus sounds all the heavier when it does arrive. It’s a highlight of the album that ends suddenly, plunging the listener into the dark, moody territory of ‘track into the sky’, a schizophrenic attack on the senses that stabs out with furious violence before coiling back in on itself. ‘Trapped’ is in a similar vein and it has a cool, snaking riff that writhes around in the darkness, deep in the darkened, constricted furrows of post-rock stargazing. ‘Manvsman’ heads in the direction of heavier pastures, with a taut, dynamic riff giving way to Mastadon style sludge riffs but the initial adrenalin surge is allowed to abate as the band head off into artier territories. It is interesting and undeniably the band play well, but it also feels a touch on the indulgent side and after such a strong start you can’t help but wish the band had maintained the song’s momentum. Drowning in your blood’ offers a greater sense of balance with the softest of riffs suddenly exploding into a thousand points of blinding light whilst Brent unleashes tortured screams over the top. It’s a pertinent reminder of the bands power spread over nine fascinating minutes and fading away in a welter of guitar noise and effects just in time for ‘The perpetual…’ which rounds out the album on a sea of tranquillity shot through with brief blasts of frenzied guitar.
Overall Steak Number Eight offer up a beguiling and likable post-rock experience but unlike, say, Isis or Mogwai the balance isn’t quite right between the raucous numbers and the drifting ambient moments. That’s not to say that it’s not an enjoyable album – far from it – Steak number eight have huge potential and their playing skills are exemplary, but to craft a truly classic album they need to rein in their more indulgent tendencies a touch. This is a grand debut and a fine album, but there is no question that Steak number eight will top this in time. Overall a memorable and often exciting experience that will appeal to fans of Mogwai, Deftones and Isis alike.
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