Review Summary: Emotional and lush, Makari's sophomore album remains just shy of the spotlight
Andy Cizek has been one hell of a busy man recently. Between his stellar debut with Monuments, and the shocking improvement that was Termina’s second album, it’s hard to imagine that he would have time for any more projects. But, here’s Makari, with their sophomore full-length album,
Wave Machine. And it’s pretty different from any other bands that feature Cizek on vocals, leaning more into Swancore-esque post-hardcore, with a nice touch of ambience and atmosphere to set the band apart from the pack.
And, for the most part, it tends to work out pretty well! “Eternity Leave” is a strong opener, backed by Cizek’s vocals, strong as ever. For listeners of Monuments or Termina who loved the expressive cleans, you’ll adore most of
Wave Machine. Cizek’s in top form throughout, even finding the chance to let out a few grittier vocal runs here and there (notably his pained shout that leads into “Soulstealer”’s final chorus). His vocals are backed up by layers of harmony that feel lush against the ears, a testament to Makari’s greater effort to emphasize melody as opposed to all-out aggression.
That effort is why, shockingly, the more emotional tracks tend to take the spotlight here. “Gold Palace Kingdom”’s chorus is heavenly, and similar compliments can be extended to the acoustic-driven “Breakers”, a nice change of pace from “Eternity Leave” or “Soulstealer”, and prevents the album from feeling too stale.
That being said, aside from some fun fretboard noodling here and there and a couple smooth bass lines, the background instrumentation has a habit of fading in and out. It’s clear that the standout of this album is Cizek’s voice, and unlike a lot of other post-hardcore bands, Makari’s instrumentals don’t provide as much wow factor by comparison. It’s a shame too, because moments like the ambient electronic intro of “Deteriorate” could’ve carried this album even harder if they were just expanded upon a little more.
Makari’s sophomore album is undoubtedly a strong release, but I can’t help but feel that it could be even better. As it stands, it’s a unique little post-hardcore record, but it’s missing a push to shoot it to the levels of Termina or Monuments. Makari have a solid foundation here. It’s up to album 3, whenever that may come, to improve upon it. If they can nail it, Makari may become one of the best post-hardcore bands in the scene.
