theMark – The Catastrophist
(Ind.)

When you sit down to listen to an album that has a black and white DIY photocopied cover and comes burned on a CD-R, there are definitely some biases that need to be overcome right off the bat. You can’t hold a startup band like this to the same standards as you would an experienced group of musicians on an established label. Expectations like that are unfair and unrealistic. And yet, every time you hear a demo or indepedently-released debut album from a band, you’re always hoping that it will turn out to be one of those rare occasions when the music blows you away beyond all expectations.

The truth is, all bands have to get their start somewhere, and building a strong musical repertoire takes time. Simply writing and recording 11 original songs is a major accomplishment in itself and Boston’s theMark have put in a respectable effort with their debut “The Catastrophist”. Unfortunately, the record also suffers from some of the flaws you would expect from a young band, such as the lack of a cohesive style, thin production, and uncertain musical delivery.

The album starts off strong with “Identity Theft” and “Glacier”, two songs that place them firmly in the post-punk/indie rock genre by mixing angular guitar riffs and throbbing rhythms. The vocals seem to be striving for an emotional resonance but they come across as too bare and grating, though the music in general shows promise.

From here theMark start to drop the intriguing guitar work in favour of a more conventional rock sound, reaching out towards something more reminscent of Eve 6 or 3 Doors Down. “Faith In Flight” is a three minute ballad carried completely by soaring vocals and faint guitars that remind me of a bad Metallica slow song. “Coffee Stains & Cigarette Blisters” again had me wishing the shaky vocals were buried in the mix a little more, while the 8-minute “Trains” needlessly extends a simple song beyond reason with a dueling guitar solo jam. The title track “The Catastrophist” hinges on an interesting stop-start pattern and a little bit of metal riffage but without any hooks it fails to leave much of a lasting impression.

The album closes on a high note with “Cluster Bombs”; here we finally get to hear the band shake loose with a burst of energy and some edgier vocal attacks.

theMark prefaces their bio with a dictionary definition of the term “rock n roll”, and it seems fitting because at times their songwriting appears to be guided more by a dictionary definition than on creative impulses. theMark’s musical talent is obvious, but it’s that certain “je ne sais quoi”, the undefinable element of danger and rebellion that is missing from their music. As they continue to refine their influences and develop their chemistry this band will be worth keeping an eye on. However, “The Catastrophist” is a decent debut from a band that still has a ways to go before they can hope to really start turning heads. — Seanc