Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Salisbury is known for many things, its looming gothic cathedral, the birthplace of Star Ward legend Anthony Daniels, Lord of the Rings star John Rhys-Davies, the incredible writer C.J. Tudor, its proximity to the neolithic Stonehenge and the pre-medieval society of Stonehenge and being the setting in a fictionalised form of the city in the novels Colony and Underneath.
It has also in recent memory become a by word for something dark, a place where international skullduggery has claimed a moment in time, of events that should not be, and yet despite all that has been thrown at its people, it retains affection for its beauty, if not its ability to produce music that truly shakes the ground of Britain’s idea of pop or rock music dominance.
The city’s best claim to fame comes in the form of the cool dynamic of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, and whilst that is fine, noteworthy, it does not absolve the need for a group to truly grasp the sense of the future that awaits, a band that cracks the sound of the town apart and has the fortitude to be something sincerely amazing.
Salisbury’s Tripwire’s four song E.P, Faceplant is one of aggressive yet poignant power, its heartbeat and vocal downplay catches the ear in a way that will remind the listener of a period when groups were unafraid of sounding authentic, true to themselves and ready to punch out with distinctive vocals and a sound that growls deeply in the dark.
The four tracks, Stunning, Outrage, More, and Forget penetrating the psyche, they delve into the heart of anger, the need to remain vigilant to the consuming shadows that shroud our views and allow the emotions of the soul to be released. It is in this that Faceplant sees the former and current students of the Wiltshire Collage & University Centre Salisbury rise not just to the occasion but the truth of modern living; one where we must acknowledge the pain of silence we have inflicted upon our youth.
A cracking start to a young band’s future, Tripwire have made an excellent introduction to the public.
Ian D. Hall