Review: Shun ‘Dismantle’
As the gently strummed guitar begins on opening track Blind Eye it takes you away from the everyday troubles of modern life and to a world where dreams are fulfilled in a faraway utopia. Dismantle is the second album from North/South Carolina heavy rock outfit Shun, and it’s another step on their journey into progressive, stoner rock.
The ten-track album has so much to it, with the four-piece continuing several crucial threads in terms of songwriting while expanding their scope with a more refined crunch and drifting, ethereal outreach. Aviator has that touch of The Lemonheads about it. Maybe that’s just me, but it’s a strong song, with decent melodies, and you can tell their roots are firmly in the punk and noise-rock camp, but they mix it up oh so well.
Horses gives a different approach, with a slower mix and a prog-metal riff over the top to add a warm feel to the music, yet still maintains that shoegaze posturing. The theme continues with Drawing Names, Matt Whitehead’s vocal melodies coming to the fore with drummer Rob Elzey setting the tempos across, what is, a quite beautiful song.
The songs are designed to take you on many different journeys, as that’s what I find post-rock does to you, well, it certainly does to me, and I find that my head is wandering around all over the place whilst I listen to it. Storms is another level, softer, sombre, more melodic, with NRNS bringing back that heavy, raucous energetic noise as it pushes and pulls you in all different directions at the same time. Then they lead you down another path on You’re The Sea as it has the most captivating bassline from Jeff Baucom that I’ve heard in a while and is my standout track on the album.
another step on their journey into progressive, stoner rock…
The final few tracks are full of creativity and refreshingly forward looking takes on the music scene, with guest musician Bo Leslie and Matt Whitehead’s guitar melodies complimenting each other perfectly. The duo seems to feed off each other’s riffs with such ease, and although the album title Dismantle hints at things coming apart at the seams, it appears that they are building the foundations to reach greater heights.
The Getaway is a song full of joyous music that makes you feel alive and happy, with the final track Interstellar which starts with a dirty, sludgey bassline that could shake a building like a passing tornado, gives a more introspective outlook.
It’s a grower of an album, that’s for sure, and one that will put the name of Shun into the mouths of many.
Label: Small Stone Recordings
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
