:: Stayte - Abandon In The Amber

Stayte

This is a band strong in the North American independent scene for the past six years. This latest album almost didn’t see the light of day as much heartache and duress went into the last three years. That’s how long it’s taken for this set to come to fruition. There were ten different live line-ups and much pain, but now that’s over. This is a band showing industrial metal power and with lots of melody. Led by vocalist and songwriter Joshua Bradford, Stayte start the album on a high note. “Slip Your Mind” has an infectious melodic beat, amid tribal drumming, techno sequences, and wonderful rock chorus. It’s easily the pick of the whole set. Mind you, that doesn’t mean the other tracks are duds, but it’s hard to live up to the opener. The band draws in solid electronic elements that add to their alternative brand. Other good tracks to note are “Smile”, “Lost In Space” and the title track, the last of the set. I don’t think the band will win too many fans over with “Christmas Fall On Thursday”. They try to be somewhat quirky and belligerent, but it lets down their earlier good tracks. The CD comes with a CDROM component that contains three videos for “Slip Your Mind”, “Ask Me On Monday”, and “Abandon In The Amber” (restricted rating). There is also a discography and audio commentaries on each track. However, I understand they have a very good following and most of these songs are sure to be well captured on the live stage. http://www.stayte.com