Tenuous Threads
Mettle
(Tenuous Threads)

Australian musician/composer/producer Tenuous Threads presents his debut EP Mettle. A picked electric and warbling vocal sweeps us into the swaying of opener, “Abduction.” There’s a subtle layering of keys, sliding bass, and heavy guitar riffing that creates a full brew for this infectious little beginning tune.

“Is it Any Wonder,” the longest tune of these five, again begins with a picked electric and that same slightly unintelligible layering of harmonies (not more than once here was I reminded of the Beach Boys). Not a minute in, though we get the voice-over of a news report and some spooky guitar that feeds us into a big stomping, even scarier beat, studied scream vocal, riffing guitars, and bass that then vacillates between slower choruses and a stuttering beat. As you’d expect in a slightly longer song than most, we get a few different movements here. A slightly-psychedelic middle of keys, harmonic guitar, and expressive bass, all fueling the thru-line of plaintive vocal, then at the 7-minute mark, things break open with wailing guitar topping, and we find ourselves back to the beginning scream-vocal mélange. It marks quite a journey, to be sure.

Big dance-inducing snare and snapping electric riffing of “Now Or Never,” ends Mettle. A teasing vocal for what might be the most aggressive tune on this EP and a great way to wrap up all the threads we have been presented.