Returning after six years absent from the live scene and over ten without a studio release, Mark of Cain’s latest LP Songs Of The Third And Fifth has been hotly anticipated as a follow up to the band’s influential 90s output. With John Stanier (Tomahawk, Battles) behind the drumstool, brothers John and Kim Scott attempt to reinvigorate their sound, yet miss the mark, dampening the appeal of the record.
Continuing along the lines of the grunge inspired alternative metal that defined their early releases, Songs Of The Third And Fifth is a slow plod of an album, which at times mesmerises, yet mostly bores. The mid-tempo slog works best in ‘Barkhammer’, where the band locks into a groove with a detuned palm muted riff, and hypnotises in repetition. The biggest issue though is that the restrained slow burn builds to an underwhelming chorus, killing the pent up energy of the verses.
Sadly, the rest of the album follows along the same lines, with groove heavy rifftastic tracks that practice a restrained tension and anger that the band never truly capitalises upon with a satisfying release.
The polished production is detrimental to the overall aesthetic of the record and the riffs crunch too much without enough fuzz. With the album so steeped in mid-90s rock, it’s an odd choice to overblow the production this much, and the resulting sound lacks cohesion with the songwriting.
With over four years of on and off studio time, it seems as though the album has been over thought, resulting in a decent, yet not terribly exciting return that doesn’t quite evoke the same thrill of the bands earlier work. While fans of The Mark Of Cain and 90s alternative rock will surely find something to like, those who’ve moved on in recent years may leave unsatisfied.
