The Poles

Performer Magazine (SE Edition) May 2006

As Above, So Below is a haunting and emotional CD, with mild touches of emo and post-hardcore, made almost unnecessary by the band's mastery of atmosphere. "Design the Fight" begins the brief CD with a build-up of pummeling doom with softly angst-ridden vocals that eventually give way to a snarling and growling chorus, melting into a stuttering guitar line that leads the song deep into the mist.

"Echoes for a Voice" evokes New Order in its opening riffs beore a hard punk guitar line ups the emotional ante. The Poles are clearly influenced by this band, as well as Joy Division and numberous other post-punk staples. Like other recent North Carolina bands such as Schooner, The Poles have a matter-of-fact knowledge of where noisily emotional music has been and where it's going. The expected shoegazer touches are present, but unlike most revivalist bands, The Poles' identity shines through each and every one of these songs.

However, despite their many strengths, The Poles could work more on developing some hooks or a standard pop song structure, even if only to subvert it. The band is content to let the tension build up around them without guiding the music in any specific direction, and that suits them well, for the most part. However, a ballad like the mildly Interpol-esque, "Amaze" could be just a tad catchier to make more of an impact. Still, what The Poles accomplish in the course of these five songs is more than enough for several careers for many bands. The band's ingenuity may be its cross to bear, but the members have enough ability and talent to really do something with their next recorded work. -John Dyson

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