Searu - Metanoia

My friend, Jim, told me I had to download this EP as I was going to love it. With some trepidation I gave in to his pleas.  "Why trepidation?" I hear you ask. Well this is because the previous band he ordered me to listen to sounded worse than fingernails on a blackboard echoing in a saggy snatch.

However, all is forgiven, he has redeemed his tarnished reputation, as Searu my friends, are awesome!

Who Are They?

Searu comprise of Lee Thorley on Drums, Jordan Rooney on Vocals, Thomas Pinto on Bass, Adam Hitchener on Guitar and Martin Beaver on Lead Guitar. They formed in 2012 are from Manchester and are currently, criminally, unsigned.

Style

Google tells me Searu means "work of skill" or "machine". If so, it's a fitting name as the musicianship is at a very high level.

The sound is a tech tinged groove metal, with flecks of other styles such as New Wave American Metal. The vocal performance switches between a screamed and well performed clean vocal style.


Metanoia EP

I will concentrate on Metonia as it is their most recent release, alhough other material is available on Bandcamp (you should really get it all)!

Metonia was released a couple of years ago but is still reflective of their direction although I am told their sound is evolving all the time. In it's own right though the EP is an excellent listen and a must have.

It opens with the high impact To Our Nothingness. In parts aggressive and fast, in parts vocally melodic, almost funk like. A brilliant introduction.

Revalation Reclamation has one of the best vocal performances I've heard for a while. The heavy vocal parts remind me of my favourite Randall Blythe work.  It's a technically excellent track musically from all instruments. Some of the drum fills had me keep rewinding to hear again.

Lever starts with one of those "in the distance" vocals which gets the girls all wet! (I like it too, gush) It lulls you into a belief that it's going to be a gentle melodic number then decides to kick you in the balls at about a minute in. The breakdown and build up section is an incredible and hard hitting, within a track that improves all the way through.

Spiral shows off Rooney's clean vocal skill. It's a funk infused onslaught which has hints of Incubus circa Science in it.

Visceral gets back into a heavier place. Theres melody, speed, attack and groove in this track.  The drummer even plays behind beat for about 5 seconds to please the Doomers amongst us! (That short bit made my day!)

The last track is Circulate, which is my favourite. Starting with an excellent groove, almost stoner riff and screamed vocal it develops into an extremely hardcore tune with a thrash feel. It then progresses further into tech metal before reversing back through these sound scapes.  All these different styles fit seamlessly together as the track develops and it's an excellent journey.

If you like your metal highly skilled musically with aggression when its needed and grace when its required then get to bandcamp (name your price) and download this to hear it for yourself. Then think, "if his was them 2 years ago, how good must they be now?"

Searu are actively playing live shows at the moment, having recently taken part in Techfest. So, UK readers, have a download, when you see the quality, give them a facebook like and sit back and wait to go and see the next show. Non UK readers, download and like anyway, just because they're really good! Keep an eye on these guys....

Follow them Facebook

ENJOY