Artist: Finch
Album: Back To Oblivion
Genre: Post-Hardcore
Label: Razor and Tie

To be honest, I am not too acclimated with Finch. Like many rock lovers I enjoy What It Is To Burn and parts from Say Hello To Sunshine, but I never truly gravitated to the band. This mindset made my approach to their comeback album Back To Oblivion all the more interesting.

Upon first listen, it can be immediately felt that the production of Back To Oblivion was dealt with extreme care. Guitars whirl through thundering drums and bass as the vocals soar far above everything else in the soundsphere. Reminiscent of Hopesfall and Deftones, “Back To Oblivion” is a massively bright and uplifting track that bring Finch back in a welcoming fashion.

The opening half of Back To Oblivion offers solid rock outings, though things tend to get more interesting come “Picasso Trigger.” Featuring the best riff of the album, “Picasso Trigger” instills the vibe that I was anxiously waiting for. Heavily inspired by Deftones, coupled with sharp tones and lucid vocals, “Picasso Trigger” is an easy highlight for the entire work.

The following track, “Play Dead” features some of the more interesting bass riffs of the work, though after the illuminating “Picasso Trigger,” the tracks begin to blend together. Don’t get me wrong, every track here is of exceptional quality, though the rewards will surely resonate differently with various listeners, for the variability tends to run short.

“Us and Them” provides plenty of fun in its simplistic riffage. With fat bass tones and crooning vocals, it produces an excitable escape from some of the consistency the song structures and sound has thus far offered. The following, “Inferium,” illuminates the work, providing a highlighted mid-tempo offering with a superb vocal performance. The album closes with “New Wave,” a surprisingly chill and jam-oriented experience, ending Back To Oblivion in fine fashion.

As an entire piece, Back To Oblivion is sure to please longtime fans of the band. With the exclusion of “Back To Oblivion,” “Picasso Trigger,” “Inferium” and a few other choice tracks, the work was not enough to convert an on-the-fence Finch fan, though it is destined to invoke nostalgia in those who have lived through the band’s career thus far.

While the work did not resonate highly with me, credit is surely due in the musicianship and execution of the record. The songs are well put together and sound fantastic, thanks to a tight ear for production and tone. Criticisms aside, be sure that “Picasso Trigger” will be in constant rotation for the foreseeable future.

SCORE: 7.5/10
Review written by Drew Caruso — Follow him on Twitter.

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Drew Caruso

Drew Caruso is a Bostonian who, when not writing about music and film, spends his time getting lost in New England, reading books, talking about science whether people want to listen or not, and more. To see the thoughts of a scientist by day and a writer by night, follow him on Twitter.

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