Marking a new chapter in the band’s journey, Albuquerque, NM’s Walls Within is set to release their latest offering, “After the Dawn,” early in 2016.
“After the Dawn” marks a change not only in the band’s line up, but also their sound, and it’s evident that the two are linked. Their previous release, “WWII,” (read my review here) had a pretty solid industrial influence to it, and while “After the Dawn” carries over the tempo and weight of that album, it definitely takes the band in a new sonic direction.
A lot of that comes directly from the change in vocalists–the new vocalist for Walls Within, Jesska, has a very controlled, almost restrained style that is reminiscent of Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia, and the new tunes follow right along with that vibe. There’s some emotive aggression on this album that wasn’t on the last release, even while carrying the last album’s overall tone.
If I had to point out anything ‘wrong’ with “After the Dawn,” I’d have to say that it feels too ‘safe’. It’s a solid set of rock tunes that stays true to what the band has previously released in terms of general feel, but I get the sense that there’s some real potential not being realized in what the band can do, in particular with Jeska’s vocals–I’d love to hear what she’d do with a producer who pushed her out of her comfort zone.
Overall, Walls Within isn’t pushing any boundaries with this album, staying within what could be considered the wall of their own comfort zones. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though–these guys know what they’re good at and are doing it. And they’re doing it well, and the criticisms I’ve offered are as much influenced by my own preferences (I like things a little more uptempo) as they are by my personal enjoyment of this band.
This is definitely an album for fans of bands like Lacuna Coil, offering that almost-atmospheric gothic rock element that make it a good soundtrack for a dimly-lit, wine and smoke-filled Saturday night, and worth checking out when it drops next year.
Wall Within is: Anthony Romero- Drums/Percussion; Chris Mattson- Bass/Vocals; Nathan Joseph- Guitar , Vocals; Jeska- Vocals
The Forge 