Viet Cong - Silhouettes

Half of Viet Cong’s self-titled debut album is one glorified pit stop, a much-needed break from the melee. The record opens with a wall of tumbling noise, the whole thing threatening to keep its grip until the forty-minute running time, but the beauty of this Calgary band is in how and when they draw the line.

‘Silhouettes’ is a fine example of the group injecting melody into their otherwise thrashing embraces. The track gives hints of new wave, with zero hints towards the direction arriving in the preceding songs. When the walls cave in and everything comes close to breaking point, in steps a careering, standalone guitar line, a sudden break in pace and spirit. And then the gears restart, the motioning madness reaching yet another peak. Viet Cong are clearly perfectionists in timing, and their frustrated post punk looks like being one of 2015’s most vital soundtracks.