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Adept are a five piece post-hardcore outfit (Robert Ljung – Vocals, Jerry Repo – Guitar, Gustav Lithammer – Guitar, Fillip Brandelius – Bass and Gabriel Hellmark – Drums) hailing from Trosa, Sweden. Since forming in 2004, Adept have toured with August Burns Red, Architects, Betraying The Martyres, With One Last Breath, to name a few, and have released 3 EP’s and 3 studio albums, “Another Year Of Disaster” in 2009, “Death Dealers” in 2011 and “Silence The World” in 2013 – All Through Panic & Action Records. Now Adept have dropped their fourth studio album “Sleepless” this time through Napalm Records, on the 19th February 2016.
So here it is… The eagerly awaited new record from Adept, “Sleepless”… For an introductory track to a highly anticipated, and long-awaited, record, ‘Black Veins’ is perfect. It kicks off with a slow build up with vocals and instrumentals, proceeding into an emotional spoken word dialect. The whole band simultaneously floods in with the most perfect melodic hardcore sound with screaming vocals “Light up the darkness!“. This track is a mixture of melodic techniques tied together with screaming verses, group vocals, and catchy choruses.
“Wounds” starts with a very post-metalcore guitar riff, then the bass kicks in with a very punchy tone, which is swiftly followed by group vocals amongst a powerful screaming vocal. A continuous cycle of different sounds and tempos fill this track – Melodic and catchy.
The first single to be released from ‘Sleepless’ is ‘Dark Clouds’, and, ironically, most definitely their most positive track from the album. Listening to the start of this track, I found it quite misleading, in the sense that I thought it was going to be pure heavy. Although it does carry heavy aspects, it definitely is a more catchy track than you would really expect from a first single release. Filled with different clean guitar riffs, co-siding a thunderous bass tone, technical drum fills and patterns, and tying it all together with the sheer positivity being screamed and sung at you. I applaud the spoken word verse near the ending of this artwork – No matter who you are, or what you do, everyone could use this encouragement at some point of their lives.
‘Carry The Weight’ is one of the heavier tracks off ‘Sleepless’. Filled with beatdowns and breakdowns, mixed with screaming versus and tied together with clean elevating choruses and melodic riffs. The chorus is very thought provoking… questioning existence, among other aspects of the depressed human thought processes.
The introduction to ‘Rewind The Tape’ is completely different from the rest of the material on display here. Spoken word with sound effects of someone pressing stop and rewind on a tape player – old skool! The content of this track is perfect. We can all relate to this one, we all have memories, and we all look back from time to time. An emotional concept all tied together with an upbeat feel. Clean-cut guitar riffs and breakdowns, bass tones for depth, drum patterns to add technicality, while all being tied together with a mixture of clean vocals and screams.
‘Down And Out’ comes out with drum fills from the first seconds, some melodic riffs, then it all comes crashing together with powerful screaming vocals, following into a breakdown. This is definitely the most calm and ambient sounding track from ‘Sleepless’. The atmospheric sounds coming from the guitars really give this track that little bit more of an edge. This track has to be my favourite – The ambient sound, the vocal content, the concept… Absolutely everything about this track did it right for me.
‘The Choirs Of Absolution’ starts off like the calm before the storm, with a very chilled out instrumental introduction, then follows the thrashing breakdown, with very heavy screaming vocals throughout. Despite the calming introduction, this has to be one of Adept’s heaviest tracks. The riffs coming from the guitars in ‘Lights’ are impeccable. The whole structure of this track works incredibly well, from riffs, high paced, screaming and choruses… Especially the extremely ‘sing your heart out’ clean vocals. Brilliant.
‘The Sickness’ is another favourite of mine. It includes everything from the previous tracks, but this one feels different from the rest. The vibe is different.. It has a light percussion piece tied in with a really solid breakdown near the middle, which was very different to hear – I can’t say that I have ever heard anything like that mixed in with a breakdown… Bravo!
To close ‘Sleepless’… the title track. We hear calming melodic riffs from the guitars, followed by a spoken word message joined with bass riffs and drums, an extended version of what we heard at the beginning of the record. It’s not until around the three minute point the whole band kicks in, and the track comes alive.
Overall, I absolutely loved ‘Sleepless’. The sheer emotional depth that oozes from this album is insane. It allows you to embark on a journey and somewhat gives you an understanding. The sound was fantastic… I really, really dug the sound. 10/10 from me! I know there has been a lot of anticipation for this album, but I can assure you Adept fans, it is definitely worth the wait!
Review by Carol Black
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