Thomas Giles - Pulse

Thomas Giles - Pulse
Scheduled Relase Date: February 1st 2011 Metal Blade Records

Between The Buried And Me's versatile vocalist Tommy Rogers adapts the alias Thomas Giles for his well crafted debut solo album, "Pulse". The interesting thing about this album upon first listen is that no two tracks sound similiar, everything has been taken into account and mixed with a broad range of styles and structures that assemble into some intriguing ideas that Giles seems to pull off rather exceptionallyin parts but completely fails in others.
 Take first track "Sleep Shake", in which any BTBAM fan will notice that it sounds nothing at all like anything BTBAM has done before. The track has a huge progressive rock feel to it and with Tommy's fantastic vocal delivery it is a sure winner for old and new fans to understand that this man can do alot more than just scream and shout. I'd also like to add that there are no additional artists in the whole of this album, Thomas Giles plays everything you can hear.
  Then the album is turned on it's head as melancholy piano keys and soft vocals are introduced with "Mr. Bird", Gile's take on a slow, sorrowful ballad that tries to hit the emotional mark, but doesn't quite get it right with it's unfitting echoes and multiple harmonic vocals, it seems like it tries too hard to be something that it isn't, due to it being on such a diverse album. The next song blew me away in a sense that i'm still not sure about. It's hard to describe but I guess my own description would be a cross between Nine Inch Nails and Eurodance. "Catch & Release" isn't to be taken lightly with it's harsh screams mixed behind techno synths and rhythms. What on earth was going on in Thomas Gile's head when he was thinking about the creation of this monstrosity, easily one of the worst tracks on the album. The next two songs "Hamilton Anxiety Scale" and "Scared" go hand in hand with the build up of high powered guitar riffs and frequent drumming until the track flows gently into the second ballad of the album, starting off as Bon Iver, Giles quickly makes note of his flowing voice and puts it to great use on this exceptional acoustic track, the better half of the slow songs on "Pulse".
 From here, the album takes a u-turn into unknown territory, as "Reject Falicon" opens with quiet guitar notes with layered effects, it almost sounds like the opening for an Explosions In The Sky record. The track continues this motion until yet again we are greeted with an industrial beat, behind Gile's singing "So beautiful..." low piano keys are played through a frenzy of beats, this track doesn't really go anywhere, it keeps the same pace and is a real filler for the album. The next track will be pleasing to those awaiting the hard hitting riffs and the progressive nature of the music. "Medic" wouldn't go amiss on one of BTBAM's early catalogue of releases. Unfortunately, the track ends before you can even get your head around the fact you're hearing something you expected to hear from the get go.
 The final tracks are what you were expecting all diverse and unique products of Gile's conscience...but the problem arises again, that the tracks are good, no doubt, but they feel empty and forced as if they are desperate for you to enjoy every single aspect of the album. I feel as if Thomas Giles made this record so diverse and broad, that there would at least be something for everyone, though it seems he forgot that everyone doesn't like everything.
  This record is a rollercoaster of various twists and turns that you can't help but feel that you're music player is on shuffle, and after the first 4 seperate songs you enjoyed, you still feel obliged to press the skip button...
6.5/10

Thomas Eccles