Unable to shake off the albatross around their neck of 2006 Top Five single "Monster," Welsh punk-pop quartet the Automatic have spent the subsequent three years floundering in a state of upheaval thanks to the departure of shouty keyboardist Alex Pennie, an acrimonious departure from their B-Unique label, and an increasing sense of apathy from both the indie music press and the record-buying public who are happy to join in with their "what's that coming over the hill" chorus every Halloween but have little interest in hearing any recent attempts to take themselves seriously. Third album Tear the Signs Down, released through their own Armoured Records label, occasionally alludes to these troubles, as on the punchy My Chemical Romance-esque singalong of lead single "Interstate," based on their experiences of recording flop predecessor This Is a Fix in Los Angeles, and "Sweat Heat Noise," where vocalist James Frost does his best Billy Corgan impression while venting his frustrations at the band's imposed live hiatus. But elsewhere, the Automatic opt for a more philosophical approach, tackling the themes of paranoia, self-motivation, and human progress on 11 tracks that largely eschew the bombastic pop hooks and incessantly catchy melodies they are renowned for in favor of a slow-building heavier sound likely to have those only familiar with their monster hit running for the hills. Produced by long-term collaborator Richard Jackson, the album ramps up the thrashing guitars, chugging riffs, and screaming vocals on the likes of the screamcore metal of "Something Else," the 30 Seconds to Mars-style "Race to the Heart of the Sun," and the feedback-drenched art rock of "Can I Take You Home." But while their grungier transformation might convert a few Kerrang! readers, the album is only really engaging when they embrace their mellower side, as on the the string-soaked "High Time," which finishes in a flurry of New Order-influenced electro, and the MGMT-inspired funk of "List." Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between, as while Tear the Signs Down is undeniably a bold attempt to banish their joke-rock reputation, it's a disappointingly anemic, plodding, and ultimately forgettable affair stripping away the admittedly divisive characteristics that made the band stand out from the plethora of ramshackle indie bands in the mid-noughties.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo