Come Apart is the debut EP from Shrewsbury three-piece The Devil In Faust. Formed in 2014 they have released earlier material – a video single and two other tracks – before demoing a dozen songs which were pared down to the four we have on this collection. Well, five if you count the radio version of “Soulmate” which has been tagged on to ensure media play.
They’re a plain and simple rock band with enough fuzz and distortion to class themselves as “alt”, but not so much that you need to enjoy the more off-kilter styles to make the most of them. Indeed the four songs do really split down the middle with “Cross Your Heart” and “Soulmate” being the more alternative while “In My Eyes” and “Seed” bend more towards the mainstream. In fact, it took me a while to nail it but the latter two tracks remind me of Soul Asylum with an edge of grunge to some extent.
Despite there only being the four songs, the band show themselves off well with some decent musicianship and songwriting which doesn’t seem too narrow. None of the tracks are particularly uplifting, having a fairy angst-ridden tone, but that hardly did Kurt Cobain any harm. Well, up to a point anyway.
Lead single and video “Soulmate” is probably the most rousing of the songs in terms of pace and verve, but even then the vocal style doesn’t exactly lift the heart. This isn’t a criticism, more an explanation of what to expect.
If you like something which will have you banging your head while intermittently clenching your fists at the unfairness of it all, then this isn’t a bad little collection.
Come Apart is out on April 28th
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