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Roses are Red-Conversations
(Trustkill Records, 2004)
I’m sure most people expect only breakdowns and hard vocals from Trustkill, but Roses are Red definitely throw a hammer into the gears of what you’d normally expect from the label. Roses are Red are more along the lines of what you’d expect from Drive-Thru Records. With extremely catchy songwriting, clean vocals, and an energetic performance, it won’t take very many songs before this band wins you over.
Saying this band is melodic is a definite understatement. The guitar playing is pretty straight forward, but while there is always the rhythm guitar pounding out the power chords, there is usually always another guitar line over top playing a melodic counterpart to the more straight forward rhythm guitar. It’s a little touch that adds a lot more depth to the bands sound. If it was just the rhythm guitar it would sound pretty empty I think. Not that I really need to tell you, but this isn’t really a speedy affair either. It’s along the lines of what you’d expect from indy rock, with a few songs being a bit faster more along the lines of pop punk. But this is most easily described as a rock band. They don’t pose to be called a punk band, this is simply a high quality rock record.
The band manages to effectively implement a dual vocal style that has become a bit common place these days. The difference here is that the main style is the clean vocals. The screaming is mainly reserved for back up vocals, but they do take center stage from time to time during some of the heavier moments. This isn’t a heavy record, but a few riffs may take you by surprise. Especially the almost metalcore like breakdown found in the closing track. It completely took be by surprise the first time I heard it and it’s little quirks like this that make this album so memorable.
In a time so cluttered with bands similar in style it might be a bit hard for Roses are Red to stand out. Why you ask? Well because people like music that is easily digestible and while these guys are catchy, they aren’t playing by the exact rules that would catapult a band to mainstream success. It could happen over time, but I think this album will get their foot in the door. It’s too good for people not to take notice.
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