iLiKETRAiNS - We Go Hunting

Leeds’ finest historical doom merchants offer up another slice of mid-winter blues in the form of latest release, ‘We Go Hunting’. Taken from 2007’s complex but ultimately rewarding album, ‘Elegies to Lessons Learnt’, the single is, quite simply, iLiKETRAiNS by numbers. This however is by no means a bad thing - iLiKETRAiNS on an off day is still head and shoulders above what’s out there at the moment.

Pounding drums kick start the band’s trademark mix of lyrical tragedy and guitars that carefully bide their time before being unleashed and lead the song to its inevitable climax, all crashing riffs and wild thrashing all lovingly held together by bucketfuls of swooping melody. ‘We Go Hunting’ is a potent reminder of what the industry was missing before iLiKETRAiNS came along. By no means their strongest release, that title remains firmly lodged with ‘A Rook House For Bobby’, the track is a worthy return to the musical spotlight nonetheless. Of equal interest is B-side ‘More Weight’. Isolated vocals married to careful strumming make this an introspective counterweight to the lead track, and is the perfect tune to listen to on the night bus home.