Vessels – White Fields and Open Devices

• 25th Aug 2008

‘White Fields and Open Devices’ is an album that instantly bursts in to your memory avoiding the ever growing jumble promo pile. The first long player from the Leeds bred quintet Vessels has a rolling power, which constantly rumbles forward crashing in to awesome walls of addictive hooks and secret nooks.

At once introspective and energizing there hangs over the album a menacing undercurrent as eternal optimism relentlessly keeps its head above frozen water. Comparisons to Scandinavian bands drip down as numbing Leeds tower blocks dissolve in to wide open white mountain fields. With an electronic backdrop equally as beautiful Vessels rise above Efterklang and Olafar Arnalds. While the latter make beguiling music it often drifts aimlessly, something this collection never threatens. Each track has focus and variety taking them towards the near insurmountable Sigor Ros.

That is only the part of it. With beginnings sounding like the score to the greatest suspense film never made their attraction to and mastery of tuneful metal and American Indie is clear. In ‘Altered Beast’ and ‘A Hundred Times In Every Direction’ Vessels’ power is immense. Rising swirling guitars and dark electro moods open up in to a huge twister storm of totally addictive noise. With limited, but powerful, hushed vocals this is almost all about the instruments. Stadium guitar hooks drive the songs much like Ratatat and with such force to make the fans of System Of A Down and Linkin Park take a second glance.

Halfway down and ‘Look at the Cloud!’ sums up the immense diversity of Vessels’ range. Striking out from beneath the claustrophobia of the brooding opening in to metal guitar and thrashing drums before the record’s most beautiful moment cloaks those blown away by this enormous sound.

Perhaps the UK debut of 2008 ‘White Fields and Open Devices’ should be better known and simply never thrown.