Change, in every sense of the word, is the theme of progressive rock act Damiera [ tickets ]'s sophomore release, "Quiet Mouth Loud Hands." Experimental sounds, ranging from melodic rock to synth-pop, drastically vary from track to track. Aside from musical shifts, the band's line-up is also completely different, with guitarist/vocalist Dave Reymond being the sole member who has remained with the band since its 2005 debut "M(US)IC."The sonic deviations within "Quiet Mouth Loud Hands" make it nearly impossible to anticipate what's coming next. The first two tracks are nu-rock aggressive, anxiety-packed epic anthems with easy-flowing choruses and rap-rock breakdowns. By the fourth track, the band does a 180, showing a more radio-ready side. "Image and Able" incorporates Hoobastank-style vocals with a fury of driving pop-rock power. Immediately following that is "Teacher, Preacher," a catchy, Maroon 5-like synth-pop and funk dance tune that could easily be mistaken for a boy-band hit. Shrill waves of reverb and glam rock energy define "Weights For the Waiting." Further into the album, the instrumental "Woodbox" reveals a jam-band percussion and acoustic-noodling side of the ensemble. Call it a hybrid of music, or an identity crisis--but genre-jumping alterations are prevalent throughout these 12 tracks. The biggest downfall with creating such a diverse album is that, while it may attract an array of music fans, it is also certain to deter a segment of the group's hardcore prog-rock audience, who may cringe at the smoother tunes. It also doesn't give the band a chance to really expand upon any particular sound, making this album feel more like an audition for a part rather than a full-on character commitment. The band self-produced "Quiet Mouth Loud Hands," with the goal of making it less moody than their first release and more focused on positive attitudes and good songwriting. Bassist Jayson DeZuzio played a major role in the group's musical direction. DeZuzio has previously worked with such bands as Coheed and Cambria and My Chemical Romance. Although all the songs are quite different from one another, they do share a unified dedication to large-minded, intricate techniques and addictive melodies--making it a fun ride even when the direction isn't always clear.
