Rock bands come and go. There are hopes and dreams, blood and sweat, triumphs and failures. The microcosm of the van, the practice space, and the dingy stage enlarges the tiny everyday dramas of the struggling musician into something profound and epic. As with our own lives, the brief incarnation of a band seems so crucial during its existence, but its death reveals the sad reality that all things are temporary and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But before sliding into the depth...
Rock bands come and go. There are hopes and dreams, blood and sweat, triumphs and failures. The microcosm of the van, the practice space, and the dingy stage enlarges the tiny everyday dramas of the struggling musician into something profound and epic. As with our own lives, the brief incarnation of a band seems so crucial during its existence, but its death reveals the sad reality that all things are temporary and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But before sliding into the depths of despair and cynicism, one must remember that all things leave a trace, and from ashes and dust grows new life. Destruction Island may never have existed if not for the life cycle of bands that preceded them. The quartet paid their dues and learned their lessons in a variety of underground acts. Having cut their teeth on the national touring circuit and the small indie market, the dissolution of their old projects provided the base for the creation of something new, something greater than the sum of its expired parts. With Preaches the New Wilderness, this Tacoma, Washington-based ensemble have eschewed the standard trappings of burgeoning bands and stepped directly onto the path of greatness. Absent are the blatant nods to their record collections, the obvious inner-band power struggles within the compositions, the overly ambitious sense of self-importance, the awkward search for a musical identity, or any of the other flaws that frequently plague less-experienced groups. Instead, they've crafted an album full of distinctive, eccentric, and confident pop songs. Well-aware of their capabilities and well-versed in a broad spectrum of music, Destruction Island's debut demonstrates the kind of maturity typically found in the works of long-established acts, yet balanced with the urgency and open creative field of a band that's just starting out. Not afraid to borrow from different genres, nor apprehensive of cutting straight to the chase, Preaches the New Wilderness provides eleven tracks that are instantly engaging and continually satisfying. Within those songs, one can hear the seasons and stages of the band's life. And for the duration of the record, it's easy to get lost in its majesty and find oneself transported to that microcosm where the entire universe can be contained within an album. - Brian Cook
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