Album Review: Satellites - 'In Vein'

24 February 2014 | 12:09 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Who says debuts have to sound like debuts?

Brisbane have a secret, and that secret goes by the name of Satellites. Letting the cat out of the bag with 'In Vein', Satellites are one of the small time punk acts currently making a pretty major name for themselves in the thriving local scene around Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. With an unforgiving kind of instrumental vigour and level of aggression that is just a notch above pop punk, and a punchy, hook driven sense of song writing that is just a bit too gritty to be called easycore, 'In Vein' has just about everything you could ask for in an EP.

'In Vein' begins with its title track; a quaint little acoustic number that serves as an introduction to the record and would almost be unnecessary were it not an effective buffer for the explosiveness shortly after. This record seems to drift indecisively between a heavier vein and a peppier one, but even though tracks like ‘Muted Colour’ and ‘Sinking Ships’ sound more pop than punk, Satellites have cleverly knit into their vocals a certain harshness that tends to roughen everything up.

If you’re thinking Satellites might be accidentally impersonating Trophy Eyes for most of this EP then you’d be forgiven. Having said this, unforgettable tracks like ‘Mistakes and Regrets,’ and ‘Bones’ proves that they are committed to delivering the kind of song writing that is impossible to pass up, even if it is a little familiar. Structured hooks, baseline chugs and pit ready choruses aside, 'In Vein' may be a little predictable in parts, but it's lyrics like ‘you’ve got to seize what you have left, and fuck the rest’ that makes this EP so engrossing.

The quality of production on 'In Vein' is not too far off from faultless. Save the strange and disorienting sound effects on ‘Plain View’, which merely divert from the muscle of the viscous, gristly vocals, powered by driving, vigorous guitar melodies. Perplexing production choices aside, each track on In Vein is distinctive from the next, yet all of them are fuelled by an unrelenting energy and vigour that is addictive.

A debut EP worth the attention of an LP of a band twice their stature, In Vein is an impressive example of what local bands can do in the punk scene.

1. In Vein 

2. Mistakes & Regrets

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3. Bones 

4. Muted Colour 

5. Plainview 

6. Sinking Ships