Soundbite: "Unpleasant Companion"

Asleep’s new album “Unpleasant Companion” possesses a sound that manages to blend the influences of Incubus, Nirvana and Radiohead into a harmonious overall sound.

“Unpleasant Companion” opens with speed and force in the first two tracks “Hip to Def” and “Drama Junkie.”

Possibly the catchiest song on the album, “Hip To Def” sets the pace of “Unpleasant Companion” with fast-beating drums and loud vocals. Asleep demands the attention of the audience with melodic energy that will immediately entice the listener.

With heavier drums and guitar, “Drama Junkie” introduces more emotional vocals to the album while maintaining the fast-paced style of “Hip to Def.”

While the vibes of “Hip To Def” and “Drama Junkie” are exciting and full of adrenaline, “Deserted” brings to light a slower side of the album. The vocals remain loud and upbeat, but the speedy and powerful instrumental of “Hip To Def” and “Drama Junkie” are replaced by a steady soft rhythm, introducing the listener to a mellow side of the band.

A choppy guitar lead, juxtaposed with throbbing backup guitar, encapsulates heartache in “Delirium Tremens.”

The heavy chord lines of “Must’ve Been” don’t quite match its tranquil vocal melody. However, the two manage to complement each other to create a fluid harmonious ambiance. By the end of the song, the music fades, and listeners are left with the noises of different voices from a television changing as though listening to someone channel surfing. The style in which Asleep concludes “Must’ve Been” reveals Asleep’s experimental side in the album.

“Big Sister” suggests a darker tone of “Unpleasant Companion.” The end of the song climaxes with high-pitched vocals and heavy, tormented guitar.

The album picks up momentum in “Static Mirrors,” returning to the fast-paced guitar riffs that characterize the first songs of the album. Distorted guitar riffs add a new sound to the album that credit a larger range in the artists’ capabilities and creativity. The end of “Static Mirrors” leaves the listener with chaotic static noises that lead to the final song on “Unpleasant Companion”: “Magik Numbers.”

“Magik Numbers” concludes the album with a soft, ambient acoustic sound reinforced by the repeated lyrics “It was all a dream,” suggesting the listener wake up from the 30-minute trance.

Asleep covers many genres and styles in “Unpleasant Companion.” The combination of these different styles makes it imperative that the album is heard in order from beginning to end, and not on an individual song basis.

“Hip To Def” and “Drama Junkie” immediately catch the listener’s ear, but it takes patience to truly appreciate the rest of the album. Though “Unpleasant Companion” does not introduce anything previously unheard in music, it combines aspects of grunge, alternative and slightly experimental rock and possesses strong vocals. Altogether, these elements create a fun and pleasant listen for any fan of rock music.

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