Luckily, there’s enough energy imparted by the snappy drums and darkly driving basslines to keep it interesting, giving structure to the more ethereal elements without overpowering them.
A skillful balance of harshness and beauty, Discipline + Desire is a welcome reintroduction to a band that is among the best at keeping this sound not just alive, but vital.
It’s a record served up with just the right balance of aggression and harmony, of melody and hard-hitting chug.
With their sophomore release, Wax Idols are carving a place for themselves in the camp of reverb-addled musicians who just won’t settle for normality.
Where the first album bristled with edgy but outgoing hooks, Discipline & Desire plays it cool to the point of ice, holding the listener at arm’s length and dangling its melodic payoffs tantalizingly just out of reach.
Discipline & Desire is indeed a departure, but in what sounds like an attempt to cover up for the scrappy nature of No Future the bulk of Discipline & Desire comes off sounding rushed and, at times, not hitting its full potential sonically.
#99 | / | eMusic |