LAUGH AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU

US band CHEST ROCKWELL have been around since 2004, with three full albums to their name and two EPs. A band that never really have been a nice and regular fit into any category, blissfully ignoring regular conventions and expectations something of a trademark feature of their material. "Laugh & the World Laughs With You" is the first of the two EPs they have made, and was self-released in 2011.

If there is a constant element to the material explored on this production, it is the use of textured instrument details that gives rise to associations towards post rock. A recurring detail if you like, the element that gives the five songs explored here an identity mark despite being fairly different in scope.

Opening piece Black Reign combines quirky, massive riff constructions and a certain thrash metal approach with compact, light toned passages that invites to the use of expressions such as alternative and indie, lightly flavored with symphonic inspired intermissions. Juggernaut brings a certain hardcore or punk inspired dampened aggression to the table, while the following Hogwash is a much more gentle expression that utilize textured instrument elements post rock style and alternating symphonic inspired material to build and develop a composition that concludes on a majestic note similar to what many post rock bands tend to do. Ultimo Hombre brings back an aggressive expression, alternating with a gentle intermission that gives me association towards the neo progressive realms, concluding in a gritty, powerful manner that brings an artist like Ministry to mind. While final song Get It in Half combines quirky riff based passages, light toned and elegant textured instrument driven sequences and massive, majestic riffs driven parts into a dazzling, brilliant whole. Five highly different compositions that still manage to come across as distinct creations by a single band by way of a few strong and distinct details as marks of identity.

Chest Rockwell is a band I've been fascinated by, in a good way, ever since I first encountered their music back in 2008 or thereabouts. "Laugh & the World Laughs With You" is an EP that documents just why this is a band that is worth investigating in a good way, by exploring material covering a wide stylistic delivery but still managing to stick to their own particular sound. An EP and a band recommended to those who tends to treasure music made by bands that prefer to stay off the most well trodden paths, in particular those with a fairly wide taste in music.