Brazen ...As Floods Decrease

Formed in 1995, Brazen is a foursome from Geneva, Switzerland. On ...As Floods Decrease, the band's style is a heartfelt combination of complex harmonies, epic song structures, and thick guitars. The album's press kit refers to "...heavy, moody, yet highly emotional post-hardcore..." and this description is fairly accurate. The uniquely sparse CD packaging hints at something less than typical, and sure enough, this album doesn't disappoint. This five-song effort will probably fail to please many of today's music fans. However, this is not the fault of Brazen, but rather the unfortunate side-effect of listeners who are too eager for a memorable hook, too dependant on catchy choruses and animated lyrics. The vocals on ...As Floods Decrease are solid but somewhat difficult to hear and therefore less important to the music as a whole. For this reason, the guitars are left to do most of the talking. It should come as no suprise then that the most compelling aspect of Brazen is their penchant, and talent, for creating enthralling guitar harmonies. Tracks such as "In Ruins" and the winding "Throats To Hear" contain impressive layered melodies that skillfully turn jagged and dissonant guitar chords into pleasant and emotional swirls of emocore. In particular, the third track, "Vomp", has some amazing guitar lines that really elevate the overall experience of the album. Finally, "Throats To Hear" is an impressive track, and a fitting end to the MCD. Bottom line: While Brazen will never be commercially successful with this type of music, they needn't worry. There's really nothing on ...As Floods Decrease that could be considered weak. This is a consistent album that should please anyone who takes the time to actually listen to it.