‘Connector’ seems like a fit title for I The Mighty’s second full-length record. Their debut, ‘Satori’ didn’t quite seem to grasp as much attention as it should’ve, however this time around they’ve created something special, something that will connect with people and an album that will grab you by the throat and force you to listen, and you’ll really, really enjoy it.
Once you skip past the gentle introduction, aptly titled ‘An Epilogue as a Prologue’, you get welcomed by ‘Lady of Death’, which hits you like a punch in the face. Full-throttle and ferocious, you’re instantly whipped up by the adrenaline of it all. Upon further inspection, this energy and intensity is something that guides the album from beginning to end.
‘The Lying Eyes of Miss Erray’ introduces the more melodic side to I The Mighty, perfectly fusing together chunky power chords, and a rhythmic chorus, all rounded off with Brent Walsh’s impressive vocal arrangement as he flips between gutsy screams and harmonious cleans.
Sonically, this album is very textured, there are layers of wavering synths, slick, technical guitar lines and more all adding to the overall sound of the album and it flaunts the bands abilities as musicians brilliantly. Not only have they masterfully created twelve songs that are addictive to listen to, but have thought about the process of building each one, making sure it’s loud in the right places and gentle at the most suited moments. See ‘Psychomachia’, ‘Slow Dancing Forever’ and ‘Friends’ for further examples of this, the latter of which also includes a guest vocal from Max Bemis of Say Anything.
Singles ‘Playing Catch With .22’ and ‘Adrift’ are truly standout moments of this record and were excellent choices for adding anticipation to the full release. ‘Playing Catch With .22’ is the perfect blend of melodic hardcore, a repetitive riff calmly opens the track, which builds into an almighty chorus and then surprises you with a gritty and raw breakdown in the middle eight that will undoubtedly provide a chaotic crowd reaction live.
The second half of the album follows on in a similarly frantic fashion to the first half, though not quite as well. ‘The Hound and the Fox’ takes on an interesting approach to ‘the acoustic song’ on an album and the others at times fall a little flat when compared with the astonishing anthems that came prior. ‘The Frame I: Betrayal in the Watchtower’ fortunately brings ‘Connector’ to a monolithic close. Though starting on a gentle note, the mood swiftly flips and an erratic guitar riff and a pounding drum beat leads us into a dark and haunting chorus that bellows out “YOU FUCK WITH US YOU LOSE” in a brilliantly harsh tone.
There hasn’t been an album that feels as honest as ‘Connector’ in a while, it doesn’t fit neatly into a genre, or a scene and perhaps that’s why it’s so appealing. The production has worked wonders and there’s no doubt that ‘Connector’ is going to show I The Mighty as the talented musicians they are and rightfully win them the respect and ears of those who had missed them the first time around.
TAMSYN WILCE