Greys - Outer Heaven (Carpark Records) 2016
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Greys, the Toronto-based noise makers are back with their sophomore effort, the follow up to 2015’s Repulsion EP and 2014’s If Anything, their promising debut album. This time around they changed their own game, their sound, their dynamics and let’s say that noise rock goes indie and gains a whole new sense of perspective.
Outer Heaven represents Greys’ own sound. Nothing sounds similar to this and that, this new direction is more in depth, raw and mature. Their distinct blend of perfect melody where order meets chaos is way more expansive, bringing tension, energy and new ways of expanding their own noisy palette of sounds.
Each song deals with different subjects, from teen cruelty in “Cruelty” to “Blown Out” where frontman Shehzaad Jiwani confronts his own mental health, and there are some inspirational references to William Friedkin in “Sorcerer” and Adam Curtis documentary, Century Of The Self on the track “In For A Penny”.
Outer Heaven is a challenging effort, from a band pushing their own boundaries to create something different, and the result is impressive and courageous all the way.