“Won’t somebody give me what I want.”
It was evident from their previous EP Desperate Times, Desperate Pleasures that Boston Manor are progressing and evolving their sound bit by bit. Unexpectedly however, I did not expect such a significant shift in sound. Leaving behind the more brighter and catchy post-hardcore infused sound, and drifting towards a more sombre and darker overarching theme. It is a massive evolution for the band and one that left me amazed at what Datura has achieved. Think of it as Bad Omens’ The Death of Peace of Mind as compared to Finding God Before God Finds Me. Providing something fresh to an otherwise extremely populated formulaic songwriting, Datura is one of the stronger albums to come out this year.
Opener “Datura (Dusk)” is a proper intro to an album that is barely half an hour long. Intros for projects as short as this rarely have felt worthwhile due to the already short runtime. However, here it feels like a complete package and feels like it actually belongs. It builds anticipation and atmosphere for what is to come with burgeoning synths interlined with soft vocals. Seamlessly flowing into “Floodlights on the Square”, an anthemic, chorus heavy song, akin to the song “The Death of Peace of Mind” by Bad Omens in its dark and haunting melody. Alternating between brooding verses and upbeat chorus build a sense of atmosphere that is a complete new direction for the band, and I’m all for it.
“Foxglove” and “Passenger” are your typical rock heavy tracks with a focus on crunchy guitars and soaring melodies. Fans who might not be fond of their newer sound might find some solace in these for they are as reminiscent of older Boston Manor as it can be while still being something novel. “Crocus” is a fine interweaving piece combining heavy synths with explosive guitars before slowly fading away into an interlude. An album of this length with an intro and an interlude. Normally that would be a crime but here, it all just fits perfectly. “Shelter From The Rain” provides some brief respite in the form of soft rain pattering laden with neo-futuristic elements.
Closer “Inertia” ties a ribbon around the album, culminating halfway into static. While starting off as ballad-y with some build up into a full-fledged song, it overstays its welcome by about 3 whole minutes in the form of silence and static. The vision they have and the organic way their sound has developed over the years is fantastic and commendable. It is realized fully on Datura which ends with the sounds of birds chirping with the dawn that is to come. I cannot wait for new music by them for surely this is just a taste of what the future holds.
7.5/10
Datura is out October 14th via Sharptone Records and you can preorder it here.