Finch is with no doubt the best band to release a debut album ever. And Drive Thru Records is the best label to have found out about such an amazing band, which probably would have to stay unknown to the masses, it is wasn’t for this label. “What It Is To Burn” is - as I said - the debut full length album from these five californian guys, after a four track EP called “Falling Into Place” which introduced them to a lot of people. On that EP they sounded tight: great guitars, drums and voices, plus an excellent production and a handful mix of various influences, such as Jimmy Eat World, GlassJaw and Deftones, as the band wants to stress, but I guess no one would disagree if I say that Finch are bringing a new sound in the world, and quite soon we will refer to new bands saying “this band sounds like Finch”.

So, “What It Is To Burn” features thirteen tracks, two of which were already featured on the previous EP but were re-mixed and now they sound much better. Of course thanks to Mark Trombino, who produced the whole record. The songs on this album do not sound as an one way type: they are all different and all good, in all of their peculiar signs. From the first “New Beginnings” and “Letters To You” with some emo influences, to the amazing “Perfectio Through Silence”, which has the best bass lines mixed with drums you’ll get to hear; there is also some metal riffs and vocals, as on “Project Mayem”, which is a weird song: it starts with a fast screamed intro and then there are some electronic elements that take the place of the instruments, but then they disapper and the real instruments come back. On this track, as well as on “Grey Matter”, there is the guest vocals of Daryl Palumbo of GlassJaw, a band that seems to have influenced a lot Finch. Talking of other songs, I think that “Stay With Me” is the poppy sing a long tune, and I think that a video of this tune would fit perfectly on some Mtv programs; I mean, I’d like to see Finch instead of that crappy nu-metal stuff, wouldn’t you? Even “Three Simple Words” is quite melodic and this song brings in it also all the energy that this band can produce. The record ends up with “Ender”, a 12 minute song, and never in my life I enjoyed listening to such a long tune, and “What It Is To Burn”, which can sum up quite well all of Finch: powerful guitar riffs and vocals, some slow parts sometimes, and the two voices, one melodic and one angry, that make the whole record sound so good as a few out there today.

If you ignore the existence of Finch, you must go check them out, I am sure no one can be disappointed with these guys, they rock and deserve much much more attention from everyone, as I am sick of listening to people who do nothing and get famous and instead hard working band seems to be ignored. Check www.finchmusic.com, listen to their record on line and then support this band, they deserve it.|carlo@staff.truepunk.com