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Kingston Falls
Crusader
2005, independent
This may be the last review you‘ll read of Kingston Falls as an independent band; the Indiana quintet recently signed to Facedown Records subsidiary Strikefirst Records, which was set up as a launching pad for a number of young, evolving bands(The Redemption Song, Jesus Wept, etc). ‘Evolve‘ is a key term, as that process is all that‘s standing between Kingston Falls and their shot at today‘s metalcore crown; this independently-done release is plagued by the usual things that encumber first serious outings, from the underproduced drums to the sometimes-unbearable vocals. Reminiscent in places of The Agony Scene with John B‘s (no last names) deep, doom growls combined with Unearth‘s groove-intensive melodic metal - more on the guitars later, I promise - Kingston Falls are hugely promising after just one song (‘Lieutenant Never‘). Good clean vocals and harmonies emerge on ‘Tried...Acquitted‘, with European guitar flashiness and incessant melodies - I found myself thinking at this point that simply having better production will certainly push this band over the top. ‘Seamstress‘ and ‘Diplomacy Day 8‘ are straight from the Killswitch Engage/Haste the Day/Raised Fist school of blitzkrieg runs interrupted seamlessly by breakdowns and more guitar awesomeness - these two kids, Josh B and Josiah G, can straight-up shred; every song on this EP had my head spinning with the raw guitar talent happening. However, the latter two songs and closer ‘Diagnostics‘ reveal frontman John B‘s need to develop his deep vocals; at this point it‘s garbled and forced-sounding, and not that pleasant to hear yet when he drops into lower registers.
Take all this with a grain of salt. Kingston Falls present absolutely nothing original, so if that‘s what you‘re looking for, go find them on myspace and start hating on them. The rest of us who simply like well-done metallic hardcore have a lot to look forward to.
- Mike Postma
Copyright ©2005