Hype band of the year or the real deal…
Unless you’ve been living in
Darwin for the last 12 months, then you’ve heard of “Gallows”.
They’ve been branded everything from “the most dangerous live band
on the planet” to “the only punk band that really matters” and
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in the space of a year they’ve been snapped up by punk rock powerhouse
Epitaph Records and then moved over to Warner Brothers for a rumoured
$2 million!
But are Gallows really as good
as everyone says they are? There are some great tracks on “Orchestra
Of Wolves” and it’s definitely refreshing to hear more bands using
a rawer style of production but I think I’ll wait until I see Gallows
live before jumping on the hype train.
My biggest gripe with “Orchestra
Of Wolves” is the consistency (or lack thereof) of the track listing.
Gallows are at their strongest when they’re churning out melody laden
rock songs so when the band ventures into more experimental territory
the album seems to drag a bit.
Album opener “Kill The Rhythm”
is indicative of what Gallows are all about. Simple, dirty guitar riffs
mixed with throaty vocals and a driving rhythm section - one can only
assume that a Gallows live show would involve a lot of crowd participation.
The lead guitar part through the track is a cool twist, bringing to
mind some of “The Blood Brothers” more melodic moments.
“Abandon Ship” is an example
of just how great Gallows can be when they stick to what they do best…
writing melodic punk rock songs! The riff is catchy as fuck and the
more dynamic song structure and tempo changes make this one of the strongest
tracks on the record.
Years” made me think of “At The Drive In” and the epic mid section
of the song is easily one of the highlights of the entire record. If
you’re a fan of the emotive sounds of a band like “Modern Life Is
War” then you’ll definitely get into this track. “Rolling With
The Punches” is a great song with a foot to the floor rock beat and
a tough guitar part but the keyboards give it that extra something which
make a good song into a great one!
Although they’re talented songwriters
in their own right, Gallows are still a young band with plenty of room
left for growth and development. A lot of the songs on “Orchestra
Of Wolves” have some fairly similar riffs but if tracks like “Abandon
Ship” are anything to go by, then album number 2 could be something
special.
Living Dead