Storm and Strife

posted in: Music News

There are thousands and thousands of bands out there trying to stand out from the crowd and secure a place for themselves in the canon of rock stardom. Here’s some advice for all the hopefuls battling for attention: Get a didgeridoo. It’s working for Like A Storm. Comprised of New Zealand natives and brothers Chris, Matt and Kent Brooks and Thomas Karanasos, the Vancouver-based band churns out ominous and explosive hard rock that juxtaposes stylized electronic textures with the primordial bellow of the didgeridoo. It’s heavy, surreal stuff that makes a big impression. Chemical Infatuation is a melody with teeth”searing guitar lashes, a lunging didgeridoo and thrashing drums rain down like a typhoon, but the song’s mainstream appeal is never diluted. Alone is a wiry, wound-up rocker that throws in a string section to up the drama. But Like A Storm isn’t just about the tempest. Tracks like Don’t Cry and Change Tomorrow are quieter, primarily acoustic ballads that swell with emotion instead of exploding with angst. Every hurricane has a calm eye, a moment to catch your breath. But soon you’ll be anxious for the storm to resume again.