Flats - Better Living

London four piece Flats have had a gaggle of curiosity over what would happen next after the release of a couple of EPs dropping back in 2010 and EP ‘Never Again’ the following year. The band has finally taken enough time out from shredding through their raucous live shows to whittle down and record a full LP; but whatever you do, don’t ask the band for their opinion on Paul Weller!

‘Better Living’ ignites with opening track ‘foxtrot’, 4 and a half minutes of oozing sludge metal reminiscent of Electric Wizards ‘Dopethrone’ which seems to be a recurring theme throughout Better Living.

Another recurring theme is songs named after dances, ‘Tango’ ‘Shuffle’ and ‘Country’ are all rattled through at ferocious speed. ‘Frostbite’ picks up and slows down throughout its 3:43 duration before coming back to a slushy mess as singer Dan Devine wails ‘Frostbite!' almost unintelligibly.

‘Fast’ is exactly what it says on the tin. Drummer Samir Eskanda painting a wicked picture of him sat behind the drums doing his best Animal from The Muppets impression.

Although as the album progresses, it’s evident that this album is here to give punk a much needed kick up the arse but the influence of bands such as Electric Wizard, Kyuss, Sabbath and Discharge are also palpable giving Flats a unique sound to anything else going on at the moment. Flats have pulled off an evolving change in sound, crafting what should be one of the finer punk records of 2012.


7.0

Aaron Lewins