When Attack In Black first emerged on the Canadian music scene in 2005, they entertained curious crowds across Canada with their unique brand of punk-infused folk songs. Attack In Black departs from their earlier, harder-driving music on their latest album, Years (by One Thousand Fingertips) and successfully turn listeners on to new, mellow and layered sounds complemented by introspective and thoughtful lyrics.
“Beasts”, the first single off of Years, ably mixes steady marching-beats with actively scattered bass and guitar lines. The album’s titular song sweetly swings with a catchy and whimsical guitar riff, while “Moon of Day” carefully balances sonic tensions and releases between verses and choruses. Characteristic of many Canadian folk songs, they conjure up images of nature in “The Great Niagara Circle Route” and “Leaving Your Death in a Flowerbed.” Though Years offers up a number of beautifully engineered tracks, Attack In Black disappoints listeners by cutting the upbeat and carefully harmonized “I’m a Rock” and “Seeds” a few minutes too short.
Despite the placement of a few too-short-but-sweet songs, Years is an intricately-detailed album full of colourful and unique songs worth listening to. Overall, Attack In Black’s successful departure from old musical techniques to fresh, new sonic explorations ensures a pleasant, enjoyable and uniquely Canadian musical experi- ence.