Lapse of Irony
Between Dreams and Dread EP
7.7
Imagine the pitch this group must have to endure while they shop themselves to labels... Lapse of Irony: "We play dark, atmospheric rock/metal. We're like Katatonia, only we're fronted by a female vocalist." Label: "Where did you all say you were from again?" Lapse of Irony: "Glendale, Arizona." Punchline. Glendale, Arizona, where one can't escape sweat without locking oneself in a freezer bin? I am not exactly sure where this young five-piece finds its inspiration to play such gloomy atmospheric rock/metal in what is essentially the desert, but here, with their first EP entitled Between Dreams & Dread, Lapse of Irony not only imitates but expands upon the sounds of northern European darkness from bands like The Gathering and Katatonia to create its own, unique melancholic textures. Before I get too specific with Lapse of Irony's sound, I must admit something; I am a closet metal boyfriend. Sure, my girlfriend knows I subscribe to the all numerical class of 666 101, but rather than reach for Behemoth or Bloodbath when we're on our way to the movies, I will, with a subtle cringe, grace something a bit more female friendly like Maroon 5 or the Rolling Stones with a sweaty palm before I slide it into the player. It's not that I am ashamed of the more extreme members of my collection, but I know what I am going to hear when the death growls begin: "Oh, how can you listen to this shit? It's just some dude trying to sing after swallowing a box of nails." Finding something we can both enjoy isn't difficult, but it often requires that I look outside the metal realm. Fortunately for poor saps such as myself, ambient goth rock/metal bands like Lacuna Coil and now Lapse of Irony exist to give us metalheads with girlfriends, rare as that demographic might be, the opportunity to avoid that awkward pause when we're starving for metal but our girlfriends only have the stomach for the lighter side. However, if you're now thinking of Lapse of Irony as a side salad you're dead wrong. Album opener "Nostomania" might be deceivingly simple, comprised of only a few chords and sparse drum work, but the composition remains complex, challenging the listener to follow subtle shifts in notes and vocal inflections. Speaking of the latter, 21 year old Bethany Hodges, with a soothing voice that could lead to her being mistaken as the lesbian lovechild of Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) and Christina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), is nothing short of brilliant. Very few vocalists work with their surrounding musicians to produce one cohesive result, but what's evident throughout Between Dreams and Dread is that Hodges understands and anticipates the professionally choreographed instrumental progressions of bandmates Chip Franz (Guitar), Angelino Wood (Guitar), Rich Van Leeuwen (Bass), and Matt Turkington (Drummer). This EP, in fact, oozes so much professionalism that you wouldn't know it was produced with the assistance of Cory Spotts (Greeley Estates, Keddah) within a 24 hour window. Lapse of Irony is most akin to a female fronted and heavier Opeth circa Damnation. Sorrowful, atmospheric, and emotional songs like "Matter of Mind" evoke the same feeling of isolation. One doesn't even need to decipher the lyrics; the music speaks for itself. This is about suffering, pain; the elements which comprise any bleak painting. "Athazagoraphobia" closes the EP and is perhaps the most experimental track. Be prepared to wear out your repeat button; you're going to need to in order to tackle the number of instruments being pumped into the pulsating veins of this baby. It's rather fitting that Between Dreams & Dread ends with a number about the fear of being forgotten. Too often talented bands like this fade out slowly as member after member finds him or herself losing hope, a return to the working world, without the distraction of a time-intensive band, looking more likely as every label, small and large, passes on picking them up. While there could be more variation in terms of tempo to increase the EP's replay value, Lapse of Irony impresses with a crisp production and an excellent display of musicianship, both of which speak to professionalism and only begin to hint at the group's potential.
