Morning After - Beneath The Real
2004 - Black Lotus Records - BLR/CD058
By Philip Whitehouse
I'm rather puzzled as to why Greek label Black Lotus Records are trying to promote
Morning After as an alternative to bands like
Nickelback and
Linkin Park on the promotional material, as the music bears absolutely no resemblance to either band, or any of their misbegotten ilk. But that's nothing compared to the astonishment I felt when I heard the vocals - tuneless mumbling like that shouldn't be allowed near a microphone. Ever. Really. Especially when the music they are accompanying has some promise.
Morning After consist of two brothers. Melios Iliopoylos is a talented songwriter who plays all guitars, bass and synths on this album, and creates a textured, multi-dimensional tapestry of pleasingly heavy, gothically tinted yet aggressive metal tunes. His sibling Tasos, however, is presumably a toothless halfwit, judging by the way he gurgles, mumbles, huffs and mutters throughout the album. Almost constantly off-key, besieged by an almost comically obvious lisp, powerless in his delivery and totally devoid of redeeming features, Tasos is an enormous albatross around his talented brother's neck.
Note to Melios - ditch your brother. Quite why you allowed him anywhere near this album is a mystery in the beginning, but onwards and upwards - lose him. Really. Find someone who better suits your
Crematory/Him/Katatonia-esque creations.
4/10
Black Lotus Records Website
