Some things just get better with age. Suicide Note is one of those things. As the band has progressed over the past ten years they are gradually refined their sound and improved their songwriting. With each new release came another step forward. And now with the release of their latest full-length, Empty Rooms, the band is nearly at the pinnacle of their musical career.
Empty Rooms is the band's first full-length in four years and follows a two-year hiatus. "Truly Historic" is the opening track and it showcases the band's growth as songwriters and highlights the band's influences in a way that pays homage to them as opposed to ripping them off, like so many other bands do. The songs boasts driving guitars that sound like a mix between Sonic Youth and Fugazi. The rhythm section follows along quite well never really overshadowing the guitars. Meanwhile vocalist Casey Donley serves up shouted yells...nothing coarse, but not spoken - just yelled and fitting with the band's sound like another instrument.
"Analog Future" follows and continues in the same direction, blurring the line between droney noise rock and post-hardcore. There is also a little section with some organs that adds a bit of uniqueness to the sound. "Merci, Mercy" has kind of an At the Drive-In sound going on with the guitar melodies; the build-up they have running in the song is great, I just wish it would have culminated in something a bit more dramatic as opposed to falling off.
Suicide Note continues with venture after venture into the guitar-driven world of indie rock with flairs of other influences showcased throughout. They've got a knack for writing songs with a good clip that you can tap your foot too. They've occasionally mixed in some slow-churning numbers as well as a raging fist-pumpers. "Black Snow" is a great track with its metal-tinged guitars and thundering basslines - it's not quite hardcore, but its definitely more aggressive than the rest of the album - think Harkonen. Overall, Empty Rooms is a good mix of sounds that work well on their own but also as a whole album. There are still a few rough spots, namely "New Eyes," which is kind of an odd track that disturbs the mood of the album and I feel could have been left off.
I was never completely sold on Suicide Note with their previous recordings. There was always something missing from the whole to push me over the edge. With Empty Rooms either the band has found that missing aspect or they've just found a way to trick me into enjoying their music more. Either way, we all win!
