Kiros: Laying it Down
Posted February 13, 2012
By MaryNikkel_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Last Fall you may have caught a solid set from an opening band titled Kiros on the Music With a Mission Tour. Maybe you found yourself singing along with their single “Hurricane.” Either way, if you haven’t heard much about them yet, chances are you’re about to hear a lot more.
Kiros released Lay Your Weapons Down on Feb. 7, their first release signed to Ain’t No Grave Records. The ambitious album tackles some unique structures and sounds in the format of a rock record. The album begins with “Broken State,” setting the stage with a bed of heavy guitars and Barry MacKichan’s unashamed vocals. “It’s so inviting, pursuing empty dreams with hearts left behind” MacKichan laments.
The band displays their unique vibe often throughout the album, employing sharp dual guitars on the intro of “One Thing” and building a distinct and appropriate western flavor for “Outlaws and Prodigals.” This track carries a lot of thematic weight, declaring “aren’t we all just outlaws, aren’t we all just prodigals with glimmers of a greater love?”
Throughout the album, strong, vivid songwriting surfaces again and again, painting images and emotions with a refreshing raw quality in phrases such as “exhale my heart onto my sleeve” (found in the driving piece “Unshaken”). Some of the songs swing high into ground that could be considered worship (such as “What Can Stop Me Now”) while others swing into a darker vibe (found in the atmospheric “Found Me”).
Much of the album deals with our relationship to a broken world. Although this is definitely a rock album, the tracks are balanced by acoustic guitar in all the right places, and the clever “Passing Through” even takes on a slight indie vibe. The album wraps up with a solid affirmation of hope found in a love greater than the broken state we live in: “Well there You are against the grain, a living truth forever untamed. And here I am, a picture of regret, anything but innocent. Help me see there is beautiful in broken things.”
Closing Thoughts:
Kiros has constructed a very solid album with just the right blend of well-grounded instrumentation and engaging lyrics that form their own unique voice. They hit all the right highs and lows with seemingly effortless precision. Be looking for this band out on the road and on more and more store shelves—they are well worth a listen. View All Music And Book Reviews By MaryNikkel_NRT | View MaryNikkel_NRT's Profile
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