Misery Signals

Even months after Mirrors dropped, and now that Controller has made its way to the forefront of my attention, I am still distracted by one very prominent aspect of this band: Karl Schubach. It’s not that his vocals lack power or controlled aggression but they don’t possess that nameless essence that simply "clicks” with the noise going on around them, which is unfortunate since Controller’s musicianship is every long-time fan’s wet dream. "Weight of the World” sets the album’s pace with a flood of guitar work compliments of Ryan Morgan, Stu Ross and Kyle Johnson, and leaves the listener a touch breathless, especially when centring on the variety of rhythms and beats drummer Branden Morgan serves up. "Labyrinthian” pales in comparison to the rest of the album for the first portion of the song but manages to stir up your belly with absolute brutality near the end. Notably faster, thrashier and tighter than the mid-section of a cheerio, Controller is certainly a contender for one of this year’s best albums, regardless of Shubach’s awkward contributions.