The Body Rampant – Midnight Mayfair

Californian alternative rock group The Body Rampant mess with different styles and sounds on their ambitious debut. The shimmering post-rock of opener Dirtnap contains echoes of Oceansize before it collapses into the fervent post-hardcore of Nightfall, which instead brings to mind the dramatic, progressive emo of The Receiving End of Sirens and Circa Survive.

 

The band's press shots show the players wearing masks of crazed, deformed figures, and the album's concept is based around a man who enters a parallel universe after he dies, but such theatrics aren't necessary to enjoy their music, which packs a vicious bite but never sacrifices melody for aggression. The exhilarating Storm Bandage - with its soaring chorus and thrilling bridge - is a prime example of this, but there's hardly a moment of filler across these thirty-five minutes. Contrived though it may initially appear, Midnight Mayfair is a lean, thoroughly engaging opening statement. [Ross Watson]