It’s Monday, and I have the night off from shows. Instead of spending it binging terrible television, I am determined to get back into my habit of writing album reviews. I’m not sure what happened or why it stopped bringing me joy, but I’m hoping that checking out Pyrograph’s new self-titled album might spark that joy in me again, so let’s not waste any time. Let me welcome you to the world of Pyrograph!
I was instantly hooked with the theatricals and over-the-top sound that kicked this track off. The sound of electronics mixed with heavier tones perked my ears up but didn’t give me any indication as to what was going to happen as the song moved on. That’s when the vocals came in. Somehow, the electronic sounds gave way to a straight-up grunge sound that, although not my typical listen, was just beyond perfect. I fell into a world where Alice in Chains reigned supreme, and Chris Cornell was still king. I loved it and spent most of this opening five-and-a-half-minute song just settling into Pyrograph’s unique yet oddly familiar sound.
When “Hollywood” took over, I was ready to finally dive into this band’s sound and individual songs. This track, in particular, shows a brilliant balance of slow and face in both obvious and not-so-blatant ways. I love this track’s composition because it’s like being on a super hilly country road with the way the beat speeds and slows so drastically yet so fittingly. Add an anthemic chorus that is so perfect for when you have your car windows open and want to share your tunes with the world, and you are left with a brilliant and toe-thumping track. You really get to see the vocal power behind this band in this song, and it’s something that I’m sure I will talk about many more times throughout this album.
The riff that kicks off “Third Leg” has a bit of a bounce to it. It’s catchy and definitely a groove but also keeps in vein with the classic grunge vibe that Pyrograph does so well. There’s this moment right around the 2:30 mark that I found mesmerizing. The guitars and bass seem to go in a circular pattern, creating an unmistakable sense of movement that really chops up this nearly five-minute-long song nicely. I’m not typically one for long tracks. Fast and dirty is the name of the game for me when it comes to song, but this little touch helped keep me engaged throughout “Third Leg.”
Every great grunge band has a couple of slower and more tender songs with an almost eerie air to them, and, for Pyrographs, one of those tracks is “Mariana.” There’s something gloomy and dark about the majority of this track, but there are also moments of anthemic brightness. It’s another showcase of how this band is able to take so many starkly contrasting ideas and compose them brilliantly into one track. I found myself lost in this song, only shaken back to life by “Pickled Ginger,” the next song on this album. This isn’t as much of a song as it is an interlude, but it’s still gorgeous. This little minute-and-a-half break gives your mind some time to digest everything that just went down in the previous four tracks before the band plunges you back into their world with “Raid.”
Although the word “swagger” could be used with all of these tracks, I feel like that word really comes to fruition in this sixth track. The beat is loose in a way but also very stern and hard. You think I’m crazy, don’t you? I don’t blame you, but just a couple of seconds into this track, you will surely understand what I’m trying to say. Another super powerful track, “Raid,” goes on for about six and a half minutes, but I felt there were multiple “movements” throughout this song, each conveying a new vibe and feeling and making this song seem to fly by.
“Nether” has a very arena quality about it. What do I mean by that? I mean that the sound of this song is larger than life, and although I know that Pyrograph is a ways away from playing an arena show (sorry, guys, but just being honest), I could easily hear this one being played in a giant arena. It has a star quality to it. It’s catchy and infectious. Full of life and energy yet with emotion and a fire behind it. You can feel the fire from the vocals, drums, guitar, bass– everything creating a song that, even if you aren’t a fan of grunge music, you will surely be falling head over heels for. Out of all of the tracks I’ve heard thus far from Pyrograph, this is the one that I feel will absolutely put this band on the map and one step closer to playing in those arenas.
Did Pyrograph put the piano intro on “Fire on My Mind” just for me knowing that I’m a sucker for classical piano? I’m sure that’s not the case, but this element instantly struck me and made me feel all kinds of emotions within seconds. I wasn’t expecting it, but, like the other songs, there was just so much emotion in the opening piano part of this track, and it only blossomed into another one of those ballad-like tracks that was just straight-up beautiful. I wish I had more words to say here, but “Fire on My Mind” is one of those tracks that will surely just strike you and hit you. It will make you feel sad, lonely, and maybe even a bit lost in your head, but at the same time, it will wrap around you with a sense of warmth and the feeling of a best friend. What an absolutely stunning song.
After the emotion that “Fire on My Mind” made me feel, it was as if I needed to “Clear My Head.” See what I did there? Well, probably not, but the ninth song on this album is entitled “Clear My Head,” which felt more than perfect. It also felt perfect because of the lyrics of this track. Although I was aware of the vocals and lyrics throughout this song, I feel like it wasn’t until this track that they really seeped into my soul. This song is real and has the same gorgeous emotion-emitting quality as “Fire on My Mind,” but it’s more hidden behind a wall of sound and power. This is a triumphant track and would have been a perfect ending song for this album but Pyrograph has one more track up their sleeve.
“Blot Out the Sun” is the final track on this epic ten-song album. At nearly ten minutes long, it’s also the longest, but, in true Pyrograph fashion, you won’t even notice how long this song is. You get to see many of the elements heard throughout the previous songs come together to create this jaw-dropping epic ending. It’s a great “Pyrograph discography” in just a song. Okay, that’s not quite true. You really have to hear this entire album to understand the greatness of Pyrograph, but this song definitely does a great job of solidifying Pyrograph’s sound in your head as if to dare you to forget this band.
My Favorite Track on the Album: “Nether”
For Fans Of: Grunge and super long, well-thought-out songs
What My Cats Did When Listening To This Album: Alfie chased a Q-tip around my kitchen floor; Cat looked at my from the edge of the couch
Best Paired With: Your favorite flannel and a generic lager
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