Beats Mee Records
Los Angeles band Trope describe themselves as an alternative rock band with progressive elements. Their debut album “Eleutheromania” literally means “a manic yearning for freedom”. The record has a first class production team: Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica), David Bottrill (Tool, Peter Gabriel) and Ted Jansen (Stone Temple Pilots). The opening track “Lambs”, a highlight, wears Tool influences on its sleeve, particularly the bassline, and the taste of Tool is also evident on other tracks, including the familiar 7/8 Tool time signature on “Surrogate”. The songs are shorter than Tool, however, and “Lambs” is the longest track on the record, at just over four and a half minutes.
There are hints of Perfect Circle, Evanscence, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Soen, especially Soen rhythmically. The album is highly melodic with dark, progressive rhythms, plenty of hooks, and powerful, melancholic vocals from vocalist Diana Studenberg. The guitars are often muscular and grungy, and there are traces of Tom Morello / Rage Against the Machine on tracks such as “Breach“ and “Privateer”. The album somehow feels familiar, yet a surprise was a cover of Tears for Fears “Shout”. It’s an interesting debut record, and fans of 90s grunge rock and Tool should find something to enjoy.
4/6 | Anne-Marie Forker
Release date: 31 March 2021