Sinoptik – The Calling
Release Date: 11th June 2021
Label: Independent
Bandcamp
Genre: Rock, Progressive, Synth, Alternative.
FFO: Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush.
Review By: Séamus Patrick Burke
Say what you will about Ukranian rock trio Sinoptik, but unlike other modern rock bands, at least they seem focused on the present instead of endlessly replicating the past. Pre-release materials for their new LP The Calling have made it clear that the loose concept of the record is going on a long journey but focusing more on the destination rather than what’s in your periphery. The music video for their single “Sell God’s Number” featured numerous students from the Korostyshev Boarding School, many of whom either came from broken homes or are dealing with some form of disability. This focus on the world around us has paid off, with the group being named “World’s Best Rock Band” by the Global Battle of the Bands in Berlin. But can they live up to the title with their latest release?
The band certainly have the chops to show that they’re the real deal. Tracks hit with purpose and intensity, and they certainly know how to capture a good sound, having recorded this album in their own DIY studio, with frontman Dmitriy Afanasiev producing and mixing. And while singles like “Black Soul Man” aren’t short on heavy riffs and powerhouse drum beats, Sinoptik also aren’t afraid to offer variety and texture. Album opener “Le Menteur” alternates between surf rock and U2-inspired echoes, while the closing title track veers into languid space rock. You’re also just as likely to see Afanasiev bust out a chirpy synth bridge as you are a guitar solo, which helps the band neatly avoid cliche. “Young and High” has a pulsing synth bridge that reminds one of Richard Wright’s rare indulgences on early Pink Floyd, and the organ solo on “Granny Greta” has a grit and swing that’d make 70s prog bands proud.
If one must nitpick, the amount of content on the album can leave the listener wanting somewhat by the time it ends. “Inception” and “Absolution” amount to little more than short intros for the songs that come after them, meaning the quantity of the tracklist feels a little padded if not necessarily the quality. Sinoptik proudly lists bands they’ve opened for on their respective platforms, and the short length of The Calling makes you think of the solid opening band that went on for thirty minutes before the headliner you actually came to see, as opposed to an artistic force to be reckoned with in their own right.
Still, even if some ideas aren’t as fully fleshed out as they should be, Sinoptik at least knows how to make a concise statement and get people’s attention. And they know how to do it on their own without feeling like they’re pandering to trends or specific markets. It’s frankly still too early to tell if we can literally call them the world’s best rock band. For now though, we can safely call them one of the most focused and driven, which is in too short of supply currently. Sinoptik clearly have something to say. Here’s hoping they get to say more of it very, very soon.
(4 / 5)
