Source: Album Artwork
It’s been a couple of years since Press to MECO, hailing from Crawley in West Sussex, exploded onto the scene with their impressive debut album Good Intent. Their quirky sound – mixing pop sensibilities with heavy, complex riffs – made them a promising and unique new band, even earning them a ‘Best Independent Album’ AIM award nomination alongside huge names like Radiohead and Frank Carter. For their second album the trio headed out to Austin, Texas to work with producer Machine, known for his work with Lamb of God, Clutch, Four Year Strong and others. Delayed from its original November 2017 release date due to the band signing to Marshall Records, the end result Here’s to the Fatigue is finally here and we are very excited.
The album’s short intro track builds excitement (although did it really need to be a separate track?) before launching into the bouncy ‘Familiar Ground’ which, as well as having an excellent music video, is one of the band’s biggest tunes yet. The sweet, harmonised vocals (complete with “wooooahhhs” in the anthemic chorus) contrast with the metallic riffs and long complex breakdown, perfectly exemplifying Press to MECO’s signature sound. Next, the defiant title track introduces a slightly darker twist to this sound, setting the scene for a more textured album than Good Intent.
Like on their debut album, Press to MECO’s three members (guitarist Luke Caley, bassist Adam Roffey and drummer Lewis Williams) all contribute vocals, harmonising nicely to strengthen their already catchy melodies. This leads to some powerful, uplifting moments such as the tender, emotional ballad ‘A Place in It All‘. In addition, sometimes one member takes lead vocals, giving a subtly unique personality to certain songs.
Here’s to the Fatigue ricochets so rapidly between genres it’s difficult to categorise the songs. There are elements of pop-punk (like the singalong choruses of ‘Howl’) – heavy metal riffs (the metal-infused headbanger ‘A Quick Fix’) and even math-rock (in the quirky rhythms and off-kilter riffs scattered throughout the record). But the seamless way in which Press to MECO blend these influences to create their own style makes for a remarkably cohesive and accessible album.
Press to MECO have built upon the solid foundation of their debut, delivering an album that’s not just technically impressive but also filled with undeniably massive tunes. It’s very apt that the trio take their name from a phrase used during rocket launches: if they keep up their current trajectory then they are destined to soar to incredible heights.
