Album Review: Cheatahs – Mythologies
2 min read
Coming off of the success of their first studio album, Cheatahs have hit 2015 pretty hard, releasing not only two EP’s at the start of the year but now also their second full length studio album, Mythologies. The alternative rock scene is a blanket genre that basically lumps all musicians in together when they don’t fit into the rock scope, and this is something that can be tough for a band like Cheatahs. Yes, they’re alternative, but they’re also battling that title because they fit so well into another tinier genre; noise rock. Each song on this album is thought out so carefully: it has a precision about it that’s tough to find on first listen but it’s there.
The standout track is definitely Channel View. This song is cool, because although it has all those elements of noise rock, where the tones are quite harsh at times, it has a really fun 60’s vibe to it. The riff that plays throughout the introduction is super punchy and its loss is so notable in the verses that it makes the vocals of Nathan Hewitt stand out even more. They’re smokey and distorted and as soon as they fade out, that riff rocks back in. The give and take of this arrangement is really interesting and it singles out Channel View from the rest of the tracks.
Signs to Lorelei is another highlight, for completely different reasons. It sounds like Cheatahs’ version of a ballad, but it isn’t a tired and outdone one: in fact in the whole song there isn’t a moment of stillness to even draw upon. All of it is dissonant tones and clashing drums and it’s okay because it all feels so exact, like every note was thoughtfully placed for a reason.
On first listen, Mythologies can sound just a bit like noise, but for fans of this genre and for fans of this band, this album is a beautifully constructed work of art that needs to be appreciated.
