Kirsty Armitage
‘Balancing’ is the perfectly named third full-length album from English rock 5-piece, The October Game.
A beautiful fusion of dark thrumming bass, intricate guitar riffs, versatile vocals and eerie synth, ‘Balancing’ is just that – a perfectly balanced modern rock album.
The sound is vaguely reminiscent of Biffy Clyro (especially in gloriously dark opening track ‘Answers & Keys’) and will tickle the ear buds of fans of alternative rock, from Radiohead to Kasabian and the Killers.
The album has a very mature sound, brilliantly brought together by producer Jake Robbins, that takes the listener on a journey of highs and lows; one minute you’re drumming on your desk along to ‘November’, the next you’re soul-searching courtesy of ‘Beg Cycle’.
Tracks like the band’s upcoming single, ‘We Built This Wall To Destroy It’ – a bouncy attitude filled ear-buster – sit effortlessly next to the more melodic offerings like ‘Labyrinth’ – a definite highlight of the album.
The October Game have a highly sought-after skill of marrying up their vocals and instrumentals perfectly. In tracks like ‘Answers & Keys’ the intense beat of the bass and guitar are almost as one with the gravelly vocals, whereas as tracks, like ‘I Hope You Got What You Wanted’ really give the stage over to the melodic vocals.
An absolute knockout on the album is ‘Sneaky Beaky’, again perfectly named, as its cheeky beat almost visually draws someone sneaking through the night. As the brilliantly put together instruments and vocals lead to a climatic finish, I couldn’t help but drum my feet along in time.
I don’t really have any criticism of this album. Self-professed as the band’s most ambitious work to date, I can only congratulate them on bringing together a great array of tracks that are rocking you sideways one minute and bringing you to tears the next.
Well worth a listen.
Check out The October Game – theoctobergame.bandcamp.com
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