Rock On, Rock Off
While scanning through the tracks listed on MIAGII’s first album, you cannot help but freak out a little bit. Their new album is a 7-track-pop-punk eminence album, full of commiserating angst, noise and grunge. Adding elements of today’s fuzz and surf scene, in a similar approach to their debut single ‘Stay Calm’, it has definitely been worth the wait to see what the band has in store.
Opening the album with ‘Nothing At All’, the band builds its process by taking on fast tempos, expressing emotional isolation with an irresistible chorus Am I right / Am I wrong, can I make it on my own? The song is bathed in Marc de la Querra’s powerful yet irrepressible howls. With the melodies presented on tracks such as ‘Stay Calm’, ‘Bullet’ and ‘Bored’, despite the headbanger heaviness, there is a tangible sense of enjoyment amongst their material; which gives them a platform to work from in building their career out of music.
Their song ‘Honest’ soars in melody, with an emotional lyric pulling through: You’re my perfect drug / and I want to feel numb again. The choruses throughout the album are memorable and showcase an emotional narrative of fuzzy guitars and some soaring vocal work that gives the surf scene genre a nudge in the right direction.
‘You’ builds among a cavalcade of woos combined with strong, dirty guitar riffs and heavy drumming. It feels truly melancholic; reminding me of a love song I once knew. The guitar contributions are essentially steady, ensuring that the pace of the album remains upbeat at all times.
As the album comes to a close, ‘Ever After’ focuses on the band’s combination of infectious acoustic rhythm. The track is slightly slower in pace and rhythm, which reminds us that there is more than meets the ear.
Along with their new album, MIAGII have been working on a project called ‘Dethweed’. It is a DIY’zine that will go along with the hard copy disk. The A5 publication showcases talented artists such as Ian Japson, Elio Moavero and Gideon De Kock and their work, interviews with rad and interesting people in the industry, as well as written contributions from various special guests. ‘Dethweed’ was created to promote and build the growing scene, by giving exposure to local talent.
