Madrugada - Industrial Silence (2016) LP

Industrial Silence is unusually strong and even for a debut album. This, of course, has to do with the fact that they already had been playing together for six years before its release. It kicks off with the majestic "Vocal," with its dense and thick guitar sound and singer Sivert Hoyem's distinctive crooning on top of it all. What's really impressive on this album, besides the quality of the songs, is guitarist Robert Buras' creative and versatile playing. He plays everything from country-like slide guitar leads to fierce punk rock power chords, gentle acoustic strumming, and something not unlike flamenco on the apocalyptical "Salt." Madrugada, although having successful singles and EPs on the Norwegian charts, are most definitely not a singles band. Their strength is not catchy three-minute pop songs; it is their epic, melancholic ballads like "Electric" and "Shine," and intense rockers like "Higher," that make Madrugada stand out. Although a very fine album, it is neither exceptional nor groundbreaking. Almost every song is in minor chords, which, in the long run, make the tracks sound too similar and sometimes overly miserable and gloomy.