Still A Bit Cloudy

With their first album since 2002, Sinch aims to destroy stereotypes and generalizations, bringing sounds that are both disordered and meticulously planned. The boys from Pennsylvania strive to break free from the generic hard rock and heavy metal shackles, attempting to create something uniquely their own. While this may turn off some people, the music is uncompromising and “different.” Clearing the Channel is incredibly turbulent and calming at the same time.
Starting with a slow humming buzz created by the ocular noise machine before being intercepted by pulsating guitars, “Silence Broken” introduces the band, who try to both attack and question the listener. Not content to produce “songs,” Sinch aims to create aural landscapes. The tempo changes, the heavy and droning yet still melodic guitar, and the simultaneously fun and haunting piano that rears its head a few times allow a solid foundation from which to experiment and build upon.

The music is incredibly hard to categorize, weaving in and out between styles ever so slightly as to expound on the generic formula. Unfortunately, only a few tracks stand out as singular compositions. “The Power of Suggestion” sees an all-acoustic number creating beautiful melodies out of the din and the aural pleasure that is “One in the Same” suggests this band should be much bigger than they are.

Despite the admittedly high quality of the album, it feels like almost a precursor to something much bigger. The band comes across as too chaotic in areas when calm would have served better and too stagnant at other points. However, there is immense room to grow with an incredibly bright future ahead.