sancat - supernatural

Sancat

Supernatural
self-released; 2013

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Sancat is an indie rock band from Akron, Ohio that recently released their debut album called Supernatural. They are technically proficient and creatively ambitious musicians with a number of tricks up their sleeves. For a majority of the record they rock but they also delve into territory that lesser bands wouldn't think of approaching.

All the members of the band are either classically trained or jazz musicians, which contribute to the vision of   Sandra Emmeline (songwriter, vocalist). She is a gifted songwriter who has a knack for writing original lyrics that avoid typical clichés. On top of that her voice sounds confident when it is against the harder moments in the music and almost maternal like when it is against softer elements. The pacing of the album works well and there is enough variety throughout to not have it drag. There were hardly any moments that had lulls that made me want to reach for the closest magazine.

The album starts with a strong, dynamic song called  “Eyes Of Coals.” The most exciting, inventive part of the song is before the guitars lay on the distortion. I thought the combination on the verse of the drumming, bass, vocals and arpeggios on the guitar was where the song shined, There is a lot of space during this section and you can also hear the jazz influence, which is a very welcome aspect to the music,

The second song “I Notice You” opens up with minimal ambience along with the voice of Emmeline. Similar to the first song I found the verse more creative and engaging than the more standard power chord type choruses they delivered. The drum work juxtaposed with the piano and bass to create another excellent moment tinged with jazz and creativity.

“Sandman” is an accomplished track with a wicked guitar solo while “Werewolf” has a pleasant section containing a  Tori Amos type moment where it’s just Emmeline’s voice and a piano.

“Dreamweaver” starts out with a manic cascading void of sound that sounds a bit like something Meatloaf may have come up with if he ingested psychedelics. The song is intense as it progresses and starts to get a bit creepy while inducing slight vertigo.

The album ends with the most epic of songs called “Dawn.” Emmeline delivers a dynamic vocal performance as the song reaches for its apex.

Sancat is an explosive, young band with fresh ideas and their debut proves that they have a lot to offer. I still think there's room for improvement but there is more than enough on this album for you to enjoy.

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