It would be easy to dismiss debut EP ‘The End’ from Sydney based I’m No Thief as just another mindless carbon copy of, well, everything else that’s out there these days. Though about 15 seconds into the first track it becomes quiet obvious these cats mean business.
Kicking off with a bang, title track and first single ‘The End’ has a classy, well-produced feel to it. Admittedly, lead singer James Kitto’s voice is not pretty, don’t get me wrong, its sexy as fuck and there’s none of that “is this a guy or a girl singing?” – I’m sick of that happening. Kitto’s growls and grunts simply add more character and texture to the songs.
Fans of the genre will dig the ‘screw you’ vibe of this EP rather than the ‘I miss you, take me back’ vibe that is becoming more and more common. It is however a lot more than that with tracks such as The Decent boasting a seamless production feel featuring layer upon layer creating a somewhat Nickleback epicness (Think early 2000’s Nickleback…none of that new stuff).
As the EP continues, the pace quickens and slows, each instrument carefully placed expressing the bands technical prowess as well as influences. Spanning from relentless riffs to atmospheric fills, I’m No Thief floats from Avenged Sevenfold to Underoath. The result of which is a much more enjoyable listening experience as tunes will end in a totally different way to which they started, as well as giving the narrative a chance to develop. worthy of note is Run Fool, allowing the band an acoustic platform to demonstrate that with out all the bells and whistles they can still maintain their sound.
Alas, the ending comes. Our Last Night is a fitting finale, encompassing in four minutes and twenty seconds the range and soundscapes of the whole EP. A very nice way to conclude, though chances are you’ll end up going straight back to the start for another round. This is where the brevity of a 6 track EP becomes convenient.
Yeah yeah, all that stuff is important but the best part is that the tracks are simply awesome and catchy. Any old song can get stuck in your head keeping you humming – a lot like pot will get you high, it wears off and you can carry on with your day. I’m No Thief is more like heroin…pure, uncut heroin. Once you have it in you, the itch won’t stop unless you get more.
