WEAREWHOWEARE

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this ended up as one of my favorite albums of 2014. This really surprised me, as my first listen did not yield much for me. However, after several spins, I can say with confidence that "wearewhoweare" is awesome, and I'll tell you why.

I originally heard Pallas for the first time with their spectacular previous album "XXV". It was spacey, scary, and ominous with bits of serenity and pure beauty therein. After hearing this, I investigated some of their discography, and time and time again I heard Pallas' ability to compose tight, catchy melodies. "wearewhoweare" follows this same trend, but adds quite an electronic feel along with quirky, dark instrumental passages that are near the top of my list for 2014.

The band consists of Paul Mackie on vocals, Graeme Murray on bass, Niall Mathewson on guitars, Ronnie Brown on keyboards, and Colin Fraser on drums. This team is simply incredible. Niall's guitars floored me as he bounces back and forth between ominous edge and Gilmour-ish soul. Ronnie's keys are constantly there, filling out the atmosphere with gusto and presence. Graeme's bass is fleshy and head-turning. Colin's drums are pounding and played with finesse. I was simply blown away with the dark-as-night verses that transition into lovely choruses guided by Paul's lush voice. I cannot compliment these guys enough.

I've seen some complaints about Pallas' new sound. Some people think they should have stayed in their 80's neo- progressive sound, but I personally applaud this old band for the incredible ingenuity and creativity that are so obvious. I mean, just look at the array of artwork they've applied to this album! It's easily one of my favorites from 2014 because I get and enjoy the quirky, almost sci-fi horror behind it all.

My favorite tracks are the catchy opener "Shadow of the Sun", the wonderful instrumentals of "Harvest Moon", and the longing, expectant sound of "Winter is Coming". Every track, though, has high points that are very memorable. Pallas has given me, then, the exact album I hoped to hear from them. I wanted a little progression in sound. but I wanted that clean, clear melody, too. "wearewhoweare" is exactly that.

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