Label : Nightmare Records
Review by Tony Cannella
From Los Angeles, California comes the band Clandestine. They combine elements of metal, alternative and modern rock sounds with electronic and prog (of all things). It is a pretty interesting vision this band has that can be heard on their debut release “The Invalid”, a 10-song 45-minute slab of hard-edged rock that never fails to deliver. The band is fronted by the relentless and diverse vocals of lead singer June Park and also features in it’s ranks former The Apex Theory drummer Sammy J. Watson. The opening track on any CD should set a definite tempo and atmosphere for the CD, and this opener “Fearless” does just that. It starts off with some electronic sounds before the band furiously joins in and the song is just a pounding tune and the vocals of June Park are quite impressive in leading the way. Next is the great “Disappear in You” which begins with an otherworldly scream by June before she brings it down and shows the kind of range that she possesses in her voice, which is quite impressive. This song also has a wickedly infectious chorus and melody, another impressive track. “Silent Sin” slows things down a notch and has single written all over it – it would be a solid choice if the band chooses to put one out. Another great song with a great melody. Following the (potential) commercial appeal of the previous song the band go in the opposite direction with the ultra-heavy and gritty “Philistine”. “Pretend” is another melodically charged rocker and another highlight. Other highlights include: “Fracture”, “Dead to the World”, “The Invalid” and the closing number “Comatose” really wraps things up perfectly. The songs are really well written, both the music and the lyrics and the whole thing is well done and was a treat to listen to. There is a lot going on in “The Invalid”. Also impressive is the bands ability to go from aggressive to melodic and back again, sometimes even throughout the course of the same song. Far be it for me to predict super stardom for any band/artist – god knows, I’ve been wrong before – but it seems to me that Clandestine, just maybe have what it takes to grab the ear of the main-stream and “The Invalid” is a good start.
Rating – 90/100
Tracklist
- Fearless
- Disappear in You
- Silent Sin
- Philistine
- Pretend
- Fracture
- Dead to the World
- Phantom Pain
- The Invalid
- Comatose
Line Up
- June Park- Vocals & Synth Programming
- Dan Durakovich – Guitars & Synth Programming
- Mark Valencia – Bass
- Sammy J. Watson – Drums
Links