Review Summary: Signals is nowhere near perfect, but its ability to expound on and challenge common genre tropes is admirable and intermittently rewarding.
Nothing about
Signals stands out as spectacular. I’ve never been keen on beatdown in the past, but there is something alluring in the idea of taking music to its heaviest, most sonically discordant and massive that keeps me coming back. It’s not exactly a difficult feat to accomplish, as shown by Black Tongue’s
Born Hanged, the only problem being the music itself lacked any real substance. It was brutal for the sake of being brutal – no inspiration, no vision. Perhaps the most admirable thing about NY based In Trenches is how they manage to be both brutal and melodic, telling a compelling musical narrative through atonal grooves, catchy power-chord filled choruses, and post-hardcore esque refrains while remaining cohesive and focused from beginning to end.
Signals always feels like it’s moving. It has direction – no two songs sound exactly alike. Some of the more experimental tracks like ‘Gone, Not Forgotten’ and ‘The Support’ have melodic hardcore influences to help break up the good ol’ bash-your-brains-in heavy romp-fests taking up the majority of
Signals’ runtime (‘The Deepening’ and ‘Signals’ being the biggest offenders). Even so, the fluidity between the vocalist(s) and the rhythm section during these mood shifts provides them a great range of dynamics to choose from, allowing the build-ups and drops to be extra effective.
Unfortunately, a shoddy production job makes for an uneven listening experience. The bright guitar tones elate the melodic passages but hinder the low, chugged riffs from being as grimy and disgusting as they promise.
Signals is nowhere near perfect, but its ability to expound on and challenge common genre tropes is admirable and intermittently rewarding. In Trenches strive to be something more, and sometimes ambition alone is enough to make a good impression.
