(Progresive rock/Post-rock) The Victor Ship - Contes De Fees (Contes De Fées) - 2012, FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless, web-release

Released 25 May 2012
Rating 4,0 from 29 replies according to sputnikmusic.com (status on 06/09/2012)

"Do you ever wish that sometime before their hiatus announcement that Thrice had upped and said to hell with their roots rock revivalist influences that consumed their last two albums (well, two and a half considering the Earth disc of The Alchemy Index) and instead combined their spacier affections with the aggressive but oh so catchy moments of their first few records? Well, luckily for that bit of nostalgia trimmed pipe dreamer in every post-hardcore fan The Victor Ship's newest EP Contes De Fees is exactly that – the sound of everything worth remembering from 2000's post-hardcore rolled into one tightly wound package. It's hard to pinpoint just one direct influence, as they are worn a little loosely on their sleeves, but it runs the gamut from The Receiving End of Siren's club sized stadium antics, Circa Survive's intricate spiderweb cadences, and Jupiter-era Cave In's space odyssey ambiance. Driven in equal part by the churning sonicscapes that cascade and collide in beautiful bursts and the dual vocal approach of guitarist Matt Battaglia and drummer Chris Buongiorno Contes De Fees is a delicate and delectable crescendo of shimmer radiance with just a touch of brute force. Take for example the opening track “Why Do You Hoard?”, with it's angular riffing sucking you in and the closing vocal harmonies spitting you back out in a massive sing-a-long chant that, while familiar, is downright enchanting. These connections of moments and memories spiral through the near 30 minute EP, unfolding like a map of a genre past but still holding on to the unique feeling as if it was heard for the first time. With the popular wing of post-hardcore devolving into a indistinguishable mush of neon, it's a great sight that The Victor Ship have taken the banner left by some of the genre's most beloved acts and have progressed it into a new decade."
sputnikmusic.com

"When looking at a genre such as post-hardcore, it’s easy to see why groups in the vein of Thrice and Thursday made it to the top; their music was simply enjoyable for the scene’s masses and the members never forget their roots. Nothing more, nothing less. At this point in time, one can only hope that it’s still possible for any unknown band to break free from the underground due to nothing more than the former as labels continue to try their hand at breeding the next Alt Press cover-boys and moving units, not albums. If it truly took only time, effort, and talent in 2012, then Los Angeles’ best kept secret The Victor Ship should be at the top with their predecessors as three years of tending to their craft has resulted in jaw-dropping music, most recently in the form of Contes De Fées.To be blunt, The Victor Ship’s masterly produced five-song effort is on the same level, and at certain points above, the majority of both post-hardcore’s past and present titans musically. With everything from juxtaposing harsh and clean vocals that both carry unbelievably gargantuan ranges to ever-evolving instrumentation that ascends into alt-rock chugging before quickly heading back down into heavier territory on a whim, there’s no structural concept left untouched. When specifically zoning in on the vocals, the cleans seem to hold the honest touch of Emery (ex.”Why Do You Sqaunder?”) while the growls are a completely separate entity of their own as they bring an even rougher sound into an already raw album, especially on the dramatic transition into the closing section of “Swallowing Limbs”, an elongated segment of pure, unadulterated roars. The guitar-work and drumming prove to be rather diverse as well with both towering riffs and technically demanding playing on “The Modern Prometheus”, while “And To Dust I Shall Return” leans toward slightly minimalistic elements that are all about quality, not quantity. From an objective perspective, it could easily be said that everything present on the EP is executed strikingly close to perfection.Thus, when it comes down to it, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that The Victor Ship will eventually become household names in time after the release of Contes De Fées, whether how the industry currently works is in many way backwards or not. Music this fantastic cannot, should not, and most likely will not be left unheard."
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Matt Battaglia - Guitars, Keyboard, Vocals
Chris Buongiorno - Drums, Vocals
Madison Megna - Guitars, Keyboard, Vocals
Matt Romero - Bass, Vocals

Guest Vocals - Brittany Buongiorno
Guest Piano - James Buongiorno
Guest Percussion - Chris Collier, Alex Onate