Eindhoven’s An Evening With Knives once again comes up with an interesting album right between Post- and Alternative-Metal.
Eindhoven has always been one of the premier rock cities in all of Belgium and the Netherlands, known for some very fine festivals (Sound of Rebellion, Dynamo and others) and also birthplace of some awesome bands like The Devil”s Blood. For a few years now, Eindhoven-based trio An Evening with Knives has been stirring some uproar in the scene due to their status as an undeniable live band. However, what does an undeniable live band need? Exactly - undeniable rock songs to perform! And An Evening… has just put out another bunch of really classy tunes with their second full-length out on Argonauta Records (CD) and Lighttown Fidelity (vinyl). This follow-up to 2018’s “Serrated” features seven songs in 41 minutes and is another example of the cross-over and genre-bending-attitude of a lot of Dutch and Belgian bands, for its two feet are equally firmly set in good, melodious 90s alternative metal and rough modern Post-metal.
The trio of Ivo Junkers (drums and samples), Marco Gelissen (guitar and vocals) and Peer van Grunsven (bass and backings) are able to incorporate some post-rock elements like minute crescendos and still maintain a strong, sometimes sludgey sound which in itself is seemingly inspired by some alternative rock – one might remember the harsh grunge version that Silverchair performed on their first two records or also Louisiana’s Thou before they turned all-in on black metal or fellow-Louisiana-boys Down. The way that Eindhoven’s new luminaries are able to slow down the tempo or push it up a notch or two without losing the melody is very promising. One can be drawn into this sound very quickly.
Another strong feature are Marco’s vocals that are clear but never poppy. One example are the lyrics in “Endless Nights”, one of the two singles, where the difference between the last line of the first stanza is merely “Endless Nights” vs “End this night” - but if you really listen closely, you can hear Marco accentuating the difference.
An all-round great record. Not ‘Album of the Year’ material (as it is simply one more post-metal record) but this record can and will be appreciated by everybody when you put it on during your regular Saturday evening get-together. A few people will certainly come up to you and ask for the name of that “Awesome stuff you have on there!” and you can simply say “Well, we’re just having An Evening with Knives!”
