Review: Heat From A DeadStar – Seven Rays Of The Sun

Now signed to the same label as their heroes Mission Of Burma, Heat From A DeadStar are a London-based act with a penchant for psychedelia, noise-rock and post-punk. After the promising EP ‘The Lighthouse’, their first album is an experimental, awkward affair that excites as much as it frustrates.

The production on ‘Seven Rays Of The Sun’ is lo-fi and one must assume deliberately so, to capture the raw energy of the band’s material. Pierrick Abouquir has a tendency to shout his way through the songs whilst he and his two bandmates throw up all kinds of dissonance. Still, Heat From A DeadStar are occasionally excellent and – although the group always retain their psychedelic edge – they are canny enough to keep their messages brief and to the point so even the more tuneless excursions (like ‘Crown’ for instance) don’t have to be endured for too long.

‘Messy Kid’ may appear ragged but is a well controlled form of rage and ‘Seahorse Seafish’ is even better as twisting, edgy riffs teeter excitingly on the knife edge of danger; the fact that this is basically an instrumental track makes the achievement even more impressive. To support their genre-bending outlook, there’s even space for a piano solo on the elegiac ‘Summer Of Dark’. ‘The Gallows’ is even weirder as keyboard swirls vie with glum rock rhythms whilst slacker indie-rock is well represented by ‘Craving’ and the superb ‘Unharmed’.

Ultimately, in its efforts to fit in so many genres and influences, ‘Seven Rays Of The Sun’ lacks focus and cohesion but it does contain a handful of great moments. The trio are also more melodic than they initially seem to be; with the inventive guitar work as the driving force behind their best offerings.

Web Sites:
Heat Fro A DeadStar Official Site
Heat From A DeadStar MySpace
Ace Of Hearts Records

Further Listening:
Blag’ard, Mission Of Burma