reviewed by Erik Sedore
Edmonton based metal band Truster make a great first impression on their self-titled debut EP. After a few moments of idling feedback, its first track “Unheard” is punctuated by a truly wicked scream from Stacy Burnett, one that sounds like sheet metal being torn apart by bare hands. Then the band lurches back and forth in a breathless tug of war, and you can almost feel the ropes stretching to their breaking point.
Second cut “For Love” commences with some sludgy, churning chords, and for it’s duration steadily builds to a crescendo. The vocals are soft and almost prayer-like to start, but as the song collapses in it’s last moments, there’s some more excellent in-the-red screaming, knocked around by the rest of the band.
The next song is a moodier jam, with deathly lyrics about having “cold hands.” It’s noise-death lingers into the beginning of the last song, which is a cover of “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. The staccato guitar blasts give some real desperation to the song’s ultimatum to “love me now, or you will never love me again.” There’s so much grief in Burnett’s voice as she shouts “keep us together” that I think in this version the chain does break.
Top Track: “Unheard”
Rating: Strong Hoot (Good)
