Tim’s Favourite – amaConda
Tim’s Favourite – amaConda
Self-Released
Release Date: 16/01/24
Running Time: 1:02:00
Review by Laura Barnes
10/10
Is it weird to say that I’ve missed music like this? There’s a million and one bands out there that list bands like Alice In Chains and Tool as their influences, but honestly? I haven’t heard many that integrate these influences as well as Tim’s Favourite. An almighty juggernaut of grunge, metal and psychedelia, “amaConda” is without a doubt one of the best albums I’ve heard this year.
On “amaConda”, Tim’s Favourite take care to strike a fair balance between the personal and political, and the result is music that feels both genuine and relevant. Opening track ‘Connect and Divide’ lets you know what Tim’s Favourite are about near-instantly, with a gnarly groove that’s sure to get you snarling and nodding as frontman Jan Pauwels laments the threat social media conglomerates pose to democracy. ‘Not In Our Name’ keeps this attitude but ramps up the Progressive Metal influences even further. The bands Grunge side takes over on mellower tracks such as ‘Filling The Hollow’, ‘Andy’s Fall’ and ‘Fly’, again proving the band’s versatility. ‘Fly’ is an absolutely beautiful track, one that takes its time to reach its emotional heights, weaving together moving melodies that you can easily get lost in.
Honestly, it took me a while to write this review, and for that, I apologise to the band. The thing is, I found it quite hard to articulate why I loved this album so much. It has stellar songwriting, professional production, and interesting lyrics, but it has something else, too. It took me back to weekends when I was about 9 or 10 years old, running errands with my Dad in his car. The windows would be down, the wind would be blowing, and thick bass would be pummeling its way through the speakers. Tool, Dream Theater, Metallica, every week something different. It was around the time when I began to hear the possibilities of music, when I began to feel excited about it. Somehow, “amaConda” took me right back to that time. This album manages to be a love letter to all the hard rock and metal titans out there, without compromising on its own originality. In short, it’s a bloody good album, and Tim’s Favourite are a bloody good band. Trust me when I say: you don’t wanna miss out on this.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Connect and Divide
02. Totalibertarian
03. Not In Our Name
04. Filling the Hollow
05. amaConda
06. Andy’s Fall
07. Embarrassment Now (Rage)
08. A Deeper Advantage
09. Into That Darkness
10. Phantom In My Head
11. Fly
LINE-UP
Jan Pauwels – Vocals, Guitar
Elie De Backer – Drums
Wolf D’haese – Bass, Backing Vocals
Tim Pauwells – Guitar, Backing Vocals
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Laura Barnes and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
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