Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

The latest album Reach by Eyes Set To Kill bleeds with emotion as the music paints haunting imagery that is occasionally creativce but at times quite cliché. It moves at a good clip but it is evident Eyes Set To Kill gave certain tunes on ReachReach more thought than others. Alexia Rodriguez on vocals and guitar, Brandon Aderson on vocals and keys, Anissa Rodriguez on bass, Caleb Clifton on drums and Greg Kerwin on guitar make up the screamo powerouse from Tempe, Arizona. Reach  kicks off with, Intro, a lovely piano melody amidst pounding drums and synth strings. It first reminded me of watered down Dream Theater prog metal. Next, the band kicks in with Song 2 pounding the same chords as Intro but a much heavier interpretation.  Alexia Rodriguez, one half of this bands vocal split personality (other half being Brandon Anderson's screams), brings brilliant passion to the bands sound. Brandon’s screams deserve more credit than I initially gave him, his skill for vocal control is undeniable. Occasionally Rodriguez and Anderson appear in unison, an attractive approach to contrasting tonality.

The band sounds its best on the albums title track. Double bass drum hits your stomach pushing you into a heavy melodic rock wall. Soaring guitar lines and Alexia’s range are enhanced by the songs powerful pace and rhythmic intensity. About half way though the song an eager drums solo takes over, layered with yet another lovely piano melody. The piano parts on the record are essential for the bands charm, however the notes the instrument is usually playing could have come straight out of an piano exercise book. However, where they lack in rhythmic diversity, they excel in the concept of musical texture. Other tracks like Darling and Violent Kiss feel as if they are following a musical formula based around male screams and its female angst counterpart. Rodriguez sings “Take my hand, grip it tightly (don't let go). With your neck, I'll kiss you violently”. I have problem with a “violent kiss”, it seems too cliché for the emotive hardcore sound the band is producing. As a whole, the album is solid by many standards and I enjoyed hearing it for its production quality as well. What I enjoyed more was thinking about what they could be doing with there sound rather than what they were doing. The band won’t really kill until they expand upon their already driving sound. It would be a bad idea to keep eye on Eyes Set To KIll.