Apologies for the lateness of this review, this album hit the stores at the start of April. Alas it is a tough life for the aged music reviewer, whereas previously I had time to indulge in the pleasures of endless hours of listening and pub discussions of relative merits, these days the day job is more demanding. Hence your good scribe is in St. Petersburg writing this on business. I imagined that behind the former iron curtain a soundtrack of YCNI:M would be rather appropriate. Having previously heard the occasionally great All roads to fault, I was expecting some aural treats, now the band have had chance to mature and develop from their long ago debut and almost all of the intermediate press was positive.

I digress no longer this opus is like their debut, sporadically brilliant debut mini-album, but too often let down by some poor lyrics and vocal delivery. That is not to say that when YCNI:M hit their groove they know how to craft a properly decent tune. It would not be rude of the listener to skip the radio friendliness of the first six tracks. Although not killer tracks, they are decent enough radio1eveningsession(does that still exist?)indieclubhits. The real fun begins when you reach track seven. If you enjoy complex music then Translate will not disappoint. The time changes, rapier like drumming, hymnal and then strangled vocals are reminiscent of other genre transcending artists veering from post rock to emo to metal in swift succession. The momentum is maintained from thereon in with a succession of heavier tracks that would keep the Russian mosh pits happy. Listening to Screaming Ground I can almost smell the sweat and smoke of the comrades.

If you want some home grown music that hits a bit harder then you could do worse than picking this up. I will certainly be making plans to capture the rest of the back catalogue….From Russia…..With love.
60%

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