A Place To Bury Strangers - Transfixation Album Review

A Place To Bury Strangers are following up 2012's 'Worship' with their brand new album 'Transfixiation'. The album captures the moment with new sounds and new ideas combined with a high level of detail; the pure finesse of 'Transfixiation' is something to be desired.

If you're after an album that sounds better the louder you play it then 'Transfixiation' is the one for you. The album delivers a pure, atmospheric sound that cannot be distorted no matter the volume. 'Transfixiation' is an experiment that has, in most cases, well and truly paid off.

The New York trio succeed in dragging us into the depths of the darkest dungeons of our minds. You'd have thought that the album's intensity would mask its precision; but this is not the case.

With distorted and broken guitar riffs over a growling bass and drum combination alongside the soft relaxed vocals of Oliver Ackermann over the top (which were sometimes drowned out by the sheer noise of the other instruments), 'Transfixiation' isn't an album which will be forgotten easily.

The opener 'Supermaster' gives us a taste of what the rest of the album is about - drawing us in and intoxicating us with its mesmerising bass line.

Although the vocals are somewhat mediocre on some of the tracks, the harrowing sound of 'Deeper' is definitely the stand out on the album. 'Deeper''s dark sound in combination with the almost threatening vocals makes us feel as though we've landed ourselves in a situation we really don't want to be in. 'Deeper' is the type of song that will stick around for a long time with its provocative tone.

Followed by the instrumental 'Lower Zone', 'Deeper' continues to echo in your mind and 'Lower Zone' takes you on a thought provoking journey until you land submerged in the second half of album.

'I Will Die' is one of the tracks that uses just a little too much fuzz pedal and the echo on the vocals sounds like something from one of those old at home karaoke machines, making the conclusion of 'Transfixiation' slightly messy. In fact, it's quite a disappointing end to what is a generally good album.

Overall, the album puts you in the centre of a psychedelic whirlwind - a unique identity built and structured with delicate craftsmanship causing the listener to get lost in sound. Although it may not be love at first sight, 'Transfixation' definitely grows on you.

3/5

Sophie Brannon