Bleak
No Light, No Tunnel
"No Light, No Tunnel" is the second full length from Syracuse's BLEAK in a year. Since their debut LP, "We Deserve Our Failures" the band has been wildly prolific on the road and in the studio. They have released several small run cassettes through various labels, a split 7" with Sovereign, as well as a split 7" of covers with labelmates Dialysis. They have traversed the US several times and completed several other East Coast and Midwest jaunts, one after another to any crowd that will have them. In that time they have also reunited with original vocalist Mike Watson, who brings a more raspy and chaotic style to the already harsh sound the band is known for. This new vocal style is reflected in the songwriting as well. Whereas "We Deserve..." vocalist Scott Thayer had a more rigid and aggressive scream to go with the music on that record (chunky, sludgy riffs), this new record is a bit of a different beast. "No Light, No Tunnel" is an exhausting whirlwind of chaos. Songs are written in odd time signatures, piercing guitars tear apart on tracks like opening single "Teeth" and back-end track "no Time". Shades of Coalesce, Turmoil, and All Else Failed all get nods of recognition as one furious song bleeds into the next, each a violent, random stabbing into the heart of comfort and stability. BLEAK once again recorded at Watchmen Studios in Buffalo, NY with seasoned engineer Doug White overseeing the effort. Artwork was once again handled by long time collaborator Bob Gorham (Blood Sun Circle), and once again Hex Records is excited to release the next step in the band's evolution.