Kismet – Shades of Clarity
Kismet
Shades of Clarity
Released 23rd May 20134
Alternative Rock
Released via Dust on The Tracks Records
‘Shades of Clarity’ is the second album from the Italian rock band Kismet. It is the follow up to their debut ‘Trudging Down Your Soul’. The band cite Led Zeppelin, Alice in Chains and Tool amongst their influences.
First up is Cobweb which comes complete with a somewhat unusual mixture of guitar sounds. There’s hints of the gritty Soundgarden-style grunge along with some experimental, psychedelic melodies. The pace tends to shift depending on the song and even mid-song in some cases. The vocals are melancholic and very much in line with the ’90s grunge scene.
The guitars on Aeternal Blame and the ambient synth intro to Time are good examples of the experimental style. These parts are confusing because they sound as though they were created during a jamming session which somehow found its way on to the final recording of the album. Another thing that I wasn’t expecting was the slow ballad Carry Me Down. It features a violin and softer sounding guitar riffs making it one of the more pleasant tracks to listen to. Then there’s the heavier, more aggressive and faster Quit which has a much simpler construction compared to its predecessor. The guitar riffs on that particular track are heavier and more akin to a hard rock song than a grunge one. The final track that caught my attention is Fill The Vacuum due to the energetic sounding guitar riffs mid-way through the song.
Overall, Kismet’s style is not an easy one to classify. Their music has a general melancholic feel to it and their sound is a unique blend which incorporates elements of ’90s grunge, ’70s psychedelic rock and hard rock. The result is confusing at times and I feel that it might be a bit too experimental for my liking.
3/5
Iza Raittila
Valkyrian Music 
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