Album Review: Sienna Skies - 'Seasons'

15 August 2014 | 11:41 am | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

Average, and that's what 'Seasons' is at its best.

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Once 'Seasons' begins, things don't look that promising. After the album's first two songs, 'Everybody's Eyes' and 'Even Stronger', have made their way through your ear canals, you may start to feel things are becoming lacklustre...and that is also the best description of the album - lacklustre.

Third album from Sydney's Sienna Skies is just severely average. With twelve songs that make the full-length clock in around the 40 minute mark, it's honestly hard to take after a while. Maybe that's because other local acts like Dream On, Dreamer, The Amity Affliction, and In Hearts Wake have already over saturated the scene with this kind of sound, other bands have no fighting chance. But hey, for all the brotherhood and family ethos of the hardcore and metalcore scenes, it can be a pretty competitive game at times.

The band are all competent musicians and play with energy and enthusiasm. However, whether it's the tiresome screams, the clean vocals, the breakdowns, the synth: it just never engages the listener enough. The heavier sections lack any real impact, and the cleaner, more melodic parts don't feel as refined and as powerful as the latest works from bands like Surroundings and Prepared Like A Bride.

Is it fair to compare the bands sound to their peers? Definitely! Especially when you consider the sheer quality of other national acts as of late.

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By the time 'Transparent' rolls around and the album comes to its end, nothing really sticks to you, it just washes over you and leaves you dry. There's not one song in particular that differentiates itself from the group. There's no super-heavy breakdown that blindsides you from nowhere, no instrumental track to at least help break things up, no solely clean track that relies solely on cleans.

All these aspects are pretty typical of metalcore/post-hardcore bands these days but it's surprisingly absent here. Some may enjoy this lack of an expected cliché, but this album, while tight and while decently mixed, just feels indifferent.

Despite its gorgeous artwork, 'Seasons' is a rather underwhelming release. This kind of post-hardcore sound just feels so dated nowadays and it's an issue that not just Sienna Skies, but some of the nation's biggest names suffer from too. But, in this instance, this isn't about those bands, no, this is about Sienna Skies, and how there is nothing really that engaging or exciting to be found on 'Seasons'.

1. Everybody's Eyes

2. Even Stronger

3. The Power Of Persistence

4. Preserve

5. Nothing Different

6. Revolution

7. Always Yours

8. In My Bones

9. Don't Let Go

10. Full Circle