Andrew Danso

It’s very rare that we come to enjoy acts who aren’t academic by their own standards. Often it takes reassessment through each album before one sticks within public domain, and should it be the case with Taste Of Tears, they haven’t got much to learn despite Once Human being their full-length debut.

The album flows in melodic metal, with progressive flights and complex rhythm work sketchfully plotted throughout its length. This is certainly a frayed effort, feeling like ones reckless rush of blood at work, instead of the balance in adrenaline and thought - it is a cry for a producer, a hierarchy, to reign in a lot of the whimsy impulse on show, and make do with whatever edits need to be made.

Potential is what Once Human carries in abundance. Usually debuts never avoid the rough around the core, and getting a feel for an act is just as important as what’s heard sonically on the disc. In this quartets case, there’s something very amiable about their enthusiasm and wealth of ideas, which sets up an album based on a strong set of fundamentals, and powerful spirit.

6/10 Powerplay issue #138