ComfortComes

Attack In Black – Years (by One Thousand Fingertips)

I first discovered Welland, Ontario foursome Attack in Black three years ago as the opening band for Canadian screamo band, Alexisonfire. At the time, they were lively, loud, and entertaining, but lacked that special something that makes a band memorable: that “it” factor. With stage presence that was less than remarkable, future success did not seem likely for the Canadian band. Then in 2007, they released their debut full-length album, “Marriage”, and I was sold; in fact, I was mesmerized. A mix of upbeat rock songs and mellow tunes perfect for a rainy day at home, “Marriage” was everything a successful debut album needs to be, and the commercial and critical acclaim demonstrated just how successful it would be.

That November, only four months after the release of “Marriage”, Attack in Black released “The Curve of the Earth”, an album comprised solely of acoustic songs that took a mere two days to record. An unexpected follow-up to their debut album, “The Curve of the Earth” showcased the band’s roots in folk music, and was delivered beautifully.

With the exception of “You’re Such an Only Child”, every song on the album was soft and melodious, causing fans to play a game of “which of these things does not belong?” As enjoyable as the song may be, one could not help but wonder if it had gotten lost in the process and was actually meant to appear on “Marriage”. Nonetheless, “The Curve of the Earth” was a perfect soundtrack for a rainy Sunday afternoon spent in front of your fireplace.

This brings us to “Years (by One Thousand Fingertips)”, released on March 10, 2009. While I will admit, I was expecting to hear loud guitars and energetic vocals reminiscent of “Marriage”, Attack in Black’s third album is strikingly similar to “The Curve of the Earth”. Though this is not necessarily a bad thing, I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed as the opening track came to an end. But then I listened to the record in its entirety and was hooked. The influence of the band’s touring with Dallas Green of City and Colour definitely shows on this album, as lead singer Daniel Romano’s vocals are clear and concise, and of course, the mellow, acoustic feel of the songs never ends. And who would want it to? With the first single, “Beasts” making its rounds on the radio, it seems as though listeners everywhere will be warming up to a cup of tea, a good book, and the acoustic styling of “Years (by One Thousand Fingertips)” for a while.

Though the album is charming and makes a great addition to the “sleeping playlist” on my iPod, it would be nice to hear more loud guitars and energetic songs fans can dance to on the next album. So to bring this to an end, here’s hoping Attack in Black are not permanently mellow and can still produce great rock music that fans love them for. In the meantime, a hot cup of tea and acoustic songs sounds pretty good to me.