Do you remember when you first heard Audioslave? Chris Cornell’s astonishing voice backed by RATM playing slightly disappointing arena rock was the most accurate description I’ve heard. Imagine, then, that on the first track of their debut EP, Tilt harness a vocalist with the awesome power of Cornell but set it to a band who know how to write interesting, intelligent, hard-rock and you have an idea of where this EP is headed. From the crashing opening snarl to the mellifluous guitar solos this is a progressive / hard-rock gem. Read on to know more.
I must confess to never having heard of Tilt until they contacted me, but a glance at the resume of those ionvolved told me that it was likely to be something special. Featuring musicians from a diverse range of bands such as Porcupine tree, Fish, Simple minds and Stilskin, Tilt open their debut EP with ‘No superman’, a track that brims with energy and a vocal performance (from Paul Dourley) that draws the aforementioned comparisons with Chris Cornell. It’s a smashing track with inventive guitar solos and a memorable chorus as well as some nice progressive touches in the bridge section, with acoustic guitars providing respite from the solid wall of guitars found elsewhere. ‘Long gone’ cruises in to a background of atmospheric noise before a beautiful acoustic intro announces the start of the song and Kaela Rowan’s stunning voice soars languidly above the music. Quite remarkably different from the opening track, it’s a delicate track that demands repeated listens to draw out the myriad touches that hide just beneath the surface. Frank Usher’s guitar solo towards the end is also a restrained work of genius that compliments the track without egotistically snatching centre stage from the melody.
‘Gravity’, featuring Holly Tomas on vocals, is a dark ballad which slips into the minor key just when you think you’ve got a handle on where you think the melody is leading you. It recalls Steve Thorne’s emotive soundscapes and features a string arrangement that highlights, rather than overwhelms, the piece. It’s a beautiful work that haunts the memory long after the final note has passed. ‘Answers’ sees the welcome return of the excellent Paul Dourley in a lengthy work out, that develops slowly with wah-inflected guitars creating a space-rock dynamic that Hawkwind would be proud to call their own. The track then uses the lengthy run-time to tread deftly through a multitude of styles and pastures, with excellent guitar work backed by luscious strings and Paul’s voice once again proving to be a powerful addition to the band’s arsenal when they take it into their heads to rock. Cramming into one song more ideas than many bands can fit into an album this song forms an epic centrepiece to an already astonishing EP.
Reaching the final track with depressing swiftness, ‘Adore’ (once again featuring Holly Tomas) is a slow-moving song that recalls Pink Floyd in their much-vaunted ‘Shine on…’ days crossed with Massive Attack’s darkened trip-hop. It’s the perfect closer to the EP and showcases perfectly the formidable skills of this meeting of minds.
It is possible (but only possible) that after living with this EP for a month that a fault may be found, but when one considers the quality of the song-writing, the ludicrous abilities of the musicians involved and the powerful, yet clear production job, it seems hard to imagine what that fault may be. This is a collection of memorable and beautifully constructed songs that have you reaching for the repeat button the second the disc stops spinning. Available through the band’s own website for the utterly reasonable price of six pounds (or three if you’re one of those who prefers the vapid concept of digital downloads) there really is no excuse for you not chasing a copy within moments of reading this review. This is an outstanding EP and is highly recommended.
