★★★★
When you’ve made a name for yourself almost entirely on the back of your live reputation, how do you draw people into your music away from the stage?
This conundrum is perhaps – at least, in part – the key to explaining the half-decade and change it has taken for Sydney-via-Austinmer’s Totally Unicorn to put out their debut album.
It’s taken a few different approaches and a few key lineup changes, but the long-awaited Dream Life is a half-hour of power that finally puts forth enough weight to restore the balance between the band’s recorded material and its quite literally in-your-face live show.
Totally Unicorn’s bullish approach to chaotic metalcore remains intact to a degree, but Dream Life also gives way to a somewhat surprising progression insofar as the songwriting is concerned. There are peaks and valleys, flashes of momentary calm and merciless storms – hell, if you listen closely enough, you might even hear an acoustic guitar for a second or two.
Wherever it is the Unicorn gallops, there is never a dull moment. You’re along for the entire white-knuckle ride – and it’s all over so quickly, you’ll immediately want to do the whole thing again. Partying mandatory, but clothing optional.
Totally Unicorn’sDream Lifeis out now through Farmer & The Owl.
