2014 marks 10 years since Amplifier released their eponymous debut album, which has been my
favourite record of all time ever since (and remains so by a significant
margin). They have celebrated this
milestone in some style. This is a
notable improvement on last year’s rather tentative Echo Street: much more assured stuff, and arguably their best
release since the career topping high (NB: theirs and everyone else’s) of
2004. There’s less ‘prog’ and more
‘rock’ on Mystoria than has been the
case on previous Amplifier
albums. That’s no bad thing: the record
feels focussed and lean. The influences underpinning
Mystoria are rather more Soundgarden or Alice in Chains than Oceansize
or Porcupine Tree. The band have even explicitly called it a
‘grunge’ album. I think that’s probably
a bit of a stretch, because this has a much too high a production value to be
considered in any way ‘grungy’. In fact,
I think my only gripe with the record at all is that it might be a bit over produced. Focus and leanness are good, but sanitisation
is not, and occasionally this record skirts a little too close to that. That small issue aside, this is pretty much
perfect. In terms of the song-writing
there’s not a single misstep at any point.
The hard rock sound is offset nicely with a running vein of odd 80s
synth-pop (just enough without overdoing it), the vocals are great, the
guitaring is great and – as ever – Matt Brobin’s drums are entirely out of this
world. Another absolute masterpiece from this criminally underrated band. 10 more
years please.
sample
track: Open Up