The Sins- Undone

Artist: The Sins

CD Title: The Undone

Label: Sinister Records

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-SINS/164273785684

Reviewer: Michael Fearon

Date: 17-02-11

J. Van Huisman, the lead singer of the Sins, is a man who deserves respect.  This album (of which I will be discussing hte music shortly), has been released under SINister Records, a record label founded by The Sins frontman in an act of defiance against large record labels and pop culture.

Now many bands release their own albums, especially when new, as a means to an end to get themselves out there and be heard.  But when a band like The Sins who have been active for the best part of ten years does it, it's likely to be due to one of two things, ideology or quality.  The Sins are definitely not lacking in quality.

The opening track El Guitarro gives you exactly what you want in a first song on a new album, an upbeat and driving rhythm with a simple sing-along chorus.  In drawing comparison to larger bands, there are a few clear similarities, at times the guitar work is almost early Offspring-esque, with Lemmy style vocals.

However the similarities to those two acts are not a running theme throughout the album.  the Sins have a great ability to draw on the best parts of grand old acts like The Misfits and Billy Idol and other such classics throughout, and yet all the while sounding like The Sins, as they rightly should.

The strong point of this album is most definitely the songwriting, they are clearly a talented bunch who can create a variety of songs that sound unique, all while retaining an overall flavor that you can't quite put your finger on.  For example, compare Abigail which has a fairly dark feel to it, with its powerful rhythm guitar and melodic synth creating an intense atmosphere, against Sintown, which has an almost jazzy feel to it.

The album is largely well produced, the guitars and bass could do with sounding a little cleaner but the musicianship and quality of vocals shines through, and the drummer has an array of well placed fills that break the music up nicely.

All that said, the main thing that would be likely to hold The Sins back, is their style may not have have the necessary mass appeal to ensure them that platinum album fame so many bands will crave.

However, any band that creates it's own record label just to get it's own music out there will not be deterred by something like this.  They are playing the music they want to, and playing it well.