Of Whispers - Demo (2010)

Of Whispers - Demo (2010)

Of Whispers self released their debut demo in 2010, this young band came out of Melbourne which is always a great sign. These guys are a Metalcore band but they also sound like they have strong post-hardcore and deathcore influences as well. Not only do they really create a good representation of the genre, they also implement very strong emotions and moods in their sound. Musically they are pretty good as well, they don’t try and over complicate the music but it still satisfies.

It’s obvious that Of Whispers have mixed quite a few different genres and influences to create this masterpiece. Although this is the case, I cannot say there are entirely original. Rather than coming up with something new, these guys have managed to get everything everyone else has failed at and have just beaten them at their own game. They have put together better riffs, breakdowns and vocals. Not only this but these guys seem to be very musically minded in the sense that they seem to be very good song writers and the music structure is very good indeed. Also, even though this is just only a demo there is no evidence that says that they have “rushed” this because even though there are only just three tracks on the demo they all seem to be different and unique in their own way.

It’s not exactly clear on which genre exactly these guys stand as but definitely somewhere in the triangle of Metalcore, deathcore and post-hardcore/screamo. Even though the lines which they have drawn and unclear they seem to give the listener a very good representation of the “core” genre. They don’t seem to have any influences from outside genres. This is really good because many “core” fans don’t usually like their music contaminated with something else such as nu metal or death metal. I would consider these guys to be 100% pure “core”.

Another thing that they have done well and is considered vital to their genre is the way that they have implemented emotions and feeling into their sound. They have don’t used a combination of different styles to really set the scene for their music which is a mix of sad and happy emotions. The emotions have not only been brought up the music itself but its mainly the vocals. The style the vocalist uses is similar to new Bring Me The Horizon vocals to pull up some emotion. It’s not a metal scream or a growl as such, but more of a yell for help or despair. This really does highlight the emotional side and the music just embraces it even more.

So it’s obvious that emotion is one of the major elements in their music which is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean all of it is emo stuff. They can get pretty serious at times and unlike Oliver Sykes, Tim (the lead singer) can actually scream and growl very well. He tends to use a combination of death growls/screams and fry screaming. Not only this be he doesn’t sound like he is in monotone all the time, he likes to mix things up with different pace, pitch and style.

The music itself it also very tight, out of the whole thing I couldn’t find any of beat notes or where the music becomes very loose. This release features some great musicianship and it is very clear that they know what they are doing and they aren’t just some cheap wannabe band. They are so good it seems that they have some kind of mainstream feel to their music which is funny because they are the opposite. What really makes this band especially intriguing is that they have kept the music simple, they haven’t filled the thing up with random guitar solos or drum solos. Rather than showing off how well and individual can play, I think they have successfully shown off how well they can play as a band which is a lot more important.

The most excellent thing about this release is that even though there are only three tracks on it, there is so much variety to choose from and each track is unique in its own special way. They practically all have different moods and emotions thus reflecting very different vibes.  The first track Shots, Vomits And Empty Wallets is a fairly averaged paced track with some elements of emotion. The riffs are fairly well balanced and the music is fairly easy going. It’s something I would listen to If I wanted to relax. Once you hit the next track Conquest you then realise what these guys are all about. It really is a perfect combination of emotion and heaviness. It features some pretty impressive breakdowns but the highlight of the track would definitely the emotional side. Also there seems to be a sense of ambience beauty in the music especially when you get towards the end of the track. The final track If Sheep Had Shark's Teeth is probably the standout track in the demo. The music is tight and the song structure is almost perfect. It’s not overly extreme but at the same time it’s not dead boring either which is a great thing. If Sheep Had Shark's Teeth seems sound more like a mainstream song than the other two tracks on the demo.

Overall this is one hell of a debut demo and with enough publicity I predict that these guys will become huge. I can’t imagine any “core” lover not liking this band; it’s the type of music where words can only describe so much because the music speaks for itself. The music is seemingly perfect and it features everything a “core” fan would expect. It has the emotions of post-hardcore, the song structure of Metalcore and at times it can get as extreme as some deathcore bands out there. I would very highly recommend this album to anyone who likes the “core” genres , it is guaranteed to satisfy. Also I recommend the track Conquest for people who like a little bit of originality and beauty in their music and the track If Sheep Had Sharks Teeth for people who prefer a more mainstream feel in their music. Overall I give Of Whisper’s debut demo a 18/20.