Hailing from Italy, One Starving Day are a four-piece band that, at times, sounds more like ten or fifteen people playing music. Their sound is full and emotive conveying enough raw moods and feeling in each musical piece that begs for one to pay attention. The only time prior to Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun that I have heard One Starving Day is a previous (and mostly out of place) appearance on one of Deep Elm Records' Emo Diaries compilations.
The modulating sound and organ that lead off "Black Star Aeon" are backed by an undulating wash of white noise. One Starving Day begin Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun with a morose mood. The soundscape is quite good. As the violins come through the din, I find the sound very pleasing as the drums begin to move the song along its path. It hearkens back to the sound of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. One Starving Day, however, sets themselves apart from that critically lauded outfit with explosive drumming and screamed vocals. "Black Star Aeon" serves as a powerful opening track to the album. "Secret Heart" continues the band's use of stringed instruments to impressive effect. There seems to be more guitars in this song. They are very percussive sounding and discordant. It kind of gives the track a weird contrast to the beginning. It is doubly strange to hear that along with the other stringed instruments.
"Fate Drainer" does not depend on the stringed instruments as much as the previous tracks. It still has a similar quality that lends to the overall cohesive nature of the record. The spoken word vocals give a different sonic quality than the band has previously displayed. The melodic guitar lead equally adds to the repertoire of sound that One Starving Day displays. The harmonic section is another neat added touch. "Leave" finds the band using more random noises to help set the laid back mood with which the song begins. The harsh vocals in the track really stand in sharp contrast to the hushed music and lethargic tempo. There is an almost minimalistic quality to portions of the song that provide freshness to the overall flow of the record. Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun closes with a stark, piano driven piece that shows the versatility of the musicians of the band. It is quiet but still has the ambient noise elements present elsewhere on the album.
One Starving Day give an excellent offering with Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun. Besides similarities to Godspeed You! Black Emperor, there are also elements of Neurosis as well that lend to an interesting mix of sounds. I like it a great deal. Even though the majority of the songs clock in at well over the ten-minute mark, I found it to be an engaging experience. How they pull these songs off live is a question that I cannot answer given the limited membership, but on record, it is good stuff.
