6gig's music is an unexpected treat in the bleak and harsh climate of today's heavy music scene. Taking a page from the post hardcore book, this group melds the stylings of acts like Handsome and Quicksand and gives them a modern edge that is reminiscent of acts like Far or Sunny Day Real Estate. For lack of a better term the groups music lies somewhere in the emocore vein, but they're more progressive and edgier than most bands that float in that genre and as such this CD is a welcome entrant into CD players worldwide.

The vocals included on this album distinctly bring Handsome to mind with their timid nature and mildly hoarse tones that carve out huge hooks with immense melody. Their structure is top notch and the notes are held with skill and enthusiasm, allowing them to convey emotion on a sincere level. Guitars are littered with effect coated excursions, yet they also drive home grating riffs that seem highly volatile and yet surprisingly easy to take in. The tone they achieve during the various breakdowns are oddly alien sounding, but their allure also lies in this fact, and the group is also solidified by it. Bass is humble and doesn't really stand out in the tracks overall, but its presence is indeed felt as it accompanies the guitar riffs, adding the ever necessary low end depth that gives the riffs a solid punch. Drums are rigid and focus on snare driven beats that pay close attention to the association between the highhat and the kick drum and although they may not be the most vivid percussive experience, they manage to tie the tracks together and fill in the gaps with their eager charm.

Perhaps its the nostalgia this band brings with their familiar sounding vocals that make this album so enjoyable. But if this is the case, you can be assured that the bands of the past never treaded in the water that this group plunges into and that's what seems to be the defining quality. It's a mixture of the old with the new that is done with an earnest respect and yet it's also a completely new sounding sonic environment that they tread so gracefully upon. Fans who are admire the NY post hardcore sound of old should definitely check this album out and there's even a good chance that those who enjoy groups like Failure and Sense Field will also connect with this release, as its well rounded energy is at no point pretentious or syrupy, rather its more focused on epic song structures and cutting edge melody. 6gig's experiment is a lot more modern than the album title suggests, but in essence they have used such outdated technology to bridge a gap between the old and the new to create an album that deserves a look from any open minded heavy music fan out there who enjoys engulfing harmony and catchy songs filled with hooks.
(4 / 5)