quiet mind - alpha waves

Quiet Mind

Alpha Waves
self-released; 2013

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Who doesn't like stories about when bands reunite to rock out once again? Two of the members, Jay Lee (guitars, vocals) and Ryan Marshall (drums), of the three-piece post-hardcore/post-punk band Quiet Mind first actually met and played music together back in 2004 when they were both in college. They both went their separate ways and ended up reuniting in 2013 with the addition of Alex Vaos (bass) to form the current lineup. After a couple of rehearsals the band decided to go completely DIY on their first EP entitled Alpha Waves. To the bands credit they did a pretty decent job with the recording and even though it doesn't have the polish of a studio album it serves well as a first EP.

As I was listening to Alpha Waves I was thinking about how the band strikes a balance post-rock and post-punk. The band occasionally has soaring reverb laced guitars not unlike that of Explosions of the Sky but also delves into more grounded riffs that you might expect from a modern day punk band or even alternative act.

The first song “Avalanche” builds in intensity fast before settling into the first verse for Lee to sing over. You won’t find much humor in Lee’s lyrics as the band reciprocates the mood of the music. He sings “I forged my fire / Melted out the walls / Now I can breathe / Deep this silence / Fills and breaks me down.” As it progresses the song rocks and hits its climax with an impressive guitar solo.

The band delivers another solid performance on “Mirrors,” which settles into a hypnotic groove. Once the band starts rocking they don’t stop till the end. 

They close with “Barrels,” which is the highlight of the EP. The vocal delivery and melody are on point and the guitars have more post-rock tendencies. Out of all the songs “Barrels” is the shortest but actually has the biggest impact.

Alpha Waves is a solid first attempt. I would have enjoyed to hear these songs with a little more polish but the songs are good enough that they shine through.