Starset
Transmissions
July 8th, 2014
Razor & Tie
I guarentee that if you listen to rock radio, you’ve heard Starset’s My Demons. Search for Starset on youtube.com and you’ll find some clips of their illuminating live performances. Search for the band on Google and you’ll find very little information on the quartet, even though they’ve been touring since Early 2013. In fact, there is no mention of the band on Wikipedia. A detailed search on Instagram will revela that Bates signed Starset’s recording contract at his local post office. They’re formation, however, is a relative mystery for those of us who’ve not had the opportunity to witness a live demonstration. That will all change on July 8th with the release of their debut full length album. In 2013 Dustin formed Starset after being contacted by an organization called The Starset Society and its President, Dr. Aston Wise. Bates was asked if he was interested in forming a band to promote the organization’s message. At its core, the message is a warning that involves a scientific discovery that is currently being controlled and manipulated by an elite few.
Dustin Bates, Starset’s founder and lead vocalist, isn’t new to the music scene. Bates, formerly of Ohio rock band Downplay, has toured the country with his first band since thier formation in 2002, released 5 full length albums and made their Rock On The Range debut in 2011. It would have been easy for Bates and his bandmates to continue with Downplay, and build on the already strong fan base that the band has earned. So why start from scratch by forming a new collective? I presume the reasons are similiar to why Corey Taylor has split his time between Stone Sour and Slipknot for the past ten years. Starset’s sound is more electronic rock, while Downplay’s emphisizes a heavier rock style. A PhD candidate in electrical engineering from Ohio University, Bates has done research for the U.S. Air Force and taught at the International Space University.
I imagine Transmissions as a concept album. An album full of love songs written about Bates’ fascination for astronomy and the Universe. Transmissions’ opening track, First Light, opens with one of the most important questions you will ever be asked; “Once you have the ability to affect momumental change would you let fear consume you? Or would you overcome?” The albums epic 13 tracks combines to create a magnum opus of sound. Artists sometimes work their entire lives to create an album that’s on the same scope that Transmissions is, but rarely come close to the level of musical perfection that Bates’ and Starset have achieved. The lyrics of each track are crafted with poetic prescision. “And if I’m lost in the world’s shadow, I’ll use the light that comes to me from your halo,” Bates confesses during Halo. Dealing with supposedly trying to over come the demons of self doubt, Bates sings “Who are you to change this world, silly boy. No one needs to hear your words. Let it go,” during Carnivore. We all have had a Carnivore in our lives, that one person who tries to keep us down. They’re usually someone whom we trust, making it that much more difficult to overcome their harsh words. Then we have the heart break of Telescope. “Far from the Sun, where no one knows, I’ve watched you from my telescope. I will travel the distance in your eyes. Interstellar, light years from you.” Bates voice, coupled with the aching violin strings and thunderous bass drum beats prompts chills from the track’s listener. Full string orchestra interlude appears at the end of many of the album’s tracks, coupled with the chilling electronic/industrial noise, giving Transmissions the feeling of a full rock opera seperated by several intermissions.
Each of the albums tracks is beautifully crafted. I’ve heard it said so many times that musicians have their entire life to write their first album and Starset’s debut has the sound of a band who’s spent many life times fine tuning their sound in the future. I would have a difficult time placing Starset’s music into a single genre. The sonic landscape that the band paints with its music envokes feelings of love, loss, salvation, betrayal and redemption. Bates’ vocal range sound great coupled with Downplay’s music, but I feel that he’s really found his voice with Starset. The soring dynamtics of the tracks found within Transmissions allows Bates to express a wide vocal range throughout the entire album. It’s refreshing to find a male dominated band that’s not afraid to include a full string orchestra tracked over gutteral growls, which makes Down With the Fallen my personal favorite track on the album.
Starset’s sound is so immense and complicated, I have a difficult time describing the prescise attention to detail that went into each track. If you close your eyes and actually listen to the album, you can actually hear the sounds of stars being born, galaxies colliding and supernovas collapsing into themselves. Amy Lee of Evanescence had made a comment a few years back about how she’d love to “sing the shit out of Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy soundtrack.” If Daft Punk took the time to create vocals for that brilliant soundtrack it would pale in comparrision to Transmissions and, as much as I adore Amy Lee and Evanescence, it would be Dustin Bates and Starset bringing that music to life. But Transmissions is a rather dark album. The subject matter found in each track inspires a wide array of emotions that we’ve all felt before but have tried to keep pushed down. But that process can cause one’s sanity and grip on reality to fester and decay. Starset’s debut offers its listeners the opportunity to vent their frustrations in a healthy way, while knowing that they’re not alone with their dark feelings. I can only imagine how refreshing it was for Bates to get those thoughts out of his mind and into his music. It Has Begun, Antigravity, My Demons, and Rise and Fall are each extremely visceral tracks, dealing with loss and denial, and wanting to be accepted by society yet realizing that one’s happiness is not determined by those we surround ourselves with.
Mark my words, Starset’s debut will forever change the way that you experience music and this band’s original sound will start a new trend in the music industry that will inspire a new generation of artists.
[Edited] I’ve been asked to rate Transmissions and I’ll give it a 9/10
Track listing:
1. First Light
2. Down With The Fallen
3. Halo
4. Carnivore
5. Telescope
6. It Has Begun
7. My Demons
8. Antigravity
9. Dark On Me
10. Let It Die
11. The Future Is Now
12. Point Of No Return
13. Rise And Fall
14. Let It Die (Maniac Agenda Mix)
