THE SYMPHONY OF SCREAMS — Live & Unplugged (review)

THE SYMPHONY OF SCREAMS — Live & Unplugged album cover

Live album · 2014 · Alternative Metal

5/5 · 2015-01-29
Kev Rowland

When Auckland-based group The Symphony of Screams released their second album ‘Radio Candy’ in 2013, they undertook a special acoustic show at Auckland’s Nathan club rooms, which was recorded for posterity. Towards the end of 2014, having just completed a successful co-headline tour with labelmates Seventy One Sunset, the band then took the opportunity to revisit the tapes from that night and shared them with some friends. The reaction was unequivocal, and everyone kept asking when they would be made available to fans, so here it is! In all there are eight songs, with just one from the debut, six from the second (it was the launch show after all) plus the newer song “Skyfall”, which has rapidly become a concert favourite (and was performed on the recent ‘Live At Galatos’ TV show).

I was one of those lucky enough to hear the recordings back when they were being discussed, so took the opportunity to ask Te Matera (guitar/vocals) what the rationale was behind performing the songs in this manner. He commented “It was a joy to present the songs in the way that many were originally written on acoustic instruments. The album is the gig in the raw with no studio overdubs: it is just us live and acoustic as we were that night. When we heard the mix we felt we really needed to put this out, it just sounds like us having a great time, and the crowd was really into it”.

The crowd certainly were into it, as well as they should be, as this is a compelling performance on so many levels. The band sound incredibly relaxed, with a real groove behind all they are doing. Karl’s basswork is exemplary, providing the emotion, and locking in perfectly with Mike’s drums. Both of them have a laid-back style, as if this is all just so easy, and it allows Te Matera and Russell to really get into the emotion. Both the guys provide lead vocals, and it is wonderful to hear the songs being stripped back yet still with angst and passion, while at the same time evoking the menace and smokiness of an outlaw pub in New Orleans. “Dirty Southern Slut” has acoustic guitar and harmonica on the studio version, but here there is no move into an electric grunge workout, but instead relying on the performance to give that edge and bite.

I am a little surprised not to see “Radio Candy” or “Amsterdam Place” in the track listing, but I am more than happy to have the closing song in their place, “Skyfall”. I have seen them perform this song in concert multiple times, and is easily my favourite, as it marks a significant shift for them in terms of their songwriting, and it is incredible to hear just how powerful this is even when played on acoustic guitars! The song still contains plenty of angst, courtesy of some great vocals from Te Matera, and the multiple sections allow the listener to be drawn into the story of a world we have ruined. Kiwi music lovers have quickly picked up on this song in particular, as it has already made it into the top of some local digital charts.

The Symphony of Screams have again shown that there is far more to their style of music than just turning it up loud and playing power chords. This release shows a mature act that knows just how to provide the goods, whether they are standing in front of a wall of Marshalls or with their trusty acoustics at hand. Eight songs, all little masterpieces, superb from start to end. www.aaarecords.com