Outsound - Megatherium - Album Review - 90s Alternative Rock from Cork, Ireland

Today, I delve into the nostalgic world of an alternative rock band, Outsound, hailing from Cork, Ireland. I will be focusing on their debut studio album, "Megatherium," released on June 9, 2023, that gave me enough to talk about their musical direction and actual potential.

Outsound - Megatherium (Official Audio)

Today marks another insignificant Tuesday, also the seventh consecutive day that I've been deeply struggling to understand an album: "Megatherium," of a brand new project, Outsound. Although the album's got a relatively familiar and clear concept for those who grew up listening to '90s mainstream rock just like me, there were things that were messing with me from the very first second about it. I've played this album countless times on every device I own, in two different countries no less, giving myself enough time to truly soak it all in. Now, I'm finally ready to spill my unbiased opinion and mixed feelings to my readers.

Let's get this straight first, the album stands out for its '90s mainstream rock concept above everything else, rather presenting a narrow perspective that can find meaning considering this is only Outsound's debut. The "Megatherium" character is a complete embodiment of the '90s alternative rock pioneers, musically, thematically, performance-wise, production-wise, and subject-wise.

In terms of their music input, the album incorporates a mix of alternative, grunge, punk, hard rock, and metal influences. You can easily pick up on the echoes of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Metallica, among other mainstream '90s rock bands, in their vocals, guitars, drums, and overall song structures. It's essentially an easy-listening album with 10 radio-friendly songs that would fit right in on any rock radio playlist and would satisfy everyone who has got an ear for this specific genre, sharing the nostalgia.

Additionally, instead of breaking new ground, Outsound chose to follow in the footsteps of their influences when it came to their sound design and character. They've managed to capture the tones, energy, and roominess that defined those bands I've just mentioned. In this regard, I believe the producer has envisioned and built a fresh perspective into these songs while keeping them grounded with all their inherent imperfections. I have to admit that this was one of the things that I loved the most about "Megatherium," which gave me the right signal about their musical preferences as well as the band's musical direction.

Outsound, band photoPhoto credit: Unknown

There's a flip side to everything, and this album is no exception. I have to admit that this was the part that has been messing with me the longest as I struggled to find the right words to explain everything properly. Although the album objectively did have the necessary quality to satisfy most of its listeners, I still feel the need to address my feelings.

First off, while "Megatherium" unapologetically pays tribute to its roots, '90s alternative rock, it often felt to me as if it was walking in the shadows of its influences rather than stepping out of its comfort zone. This caused Outsound to sound similar to those bands I mentioned earlier, leaving me wondering why it didn't make the impact on me as it was supposed to. I couldn't hear enough distinguishing character that would separate Outsound from their contemporaries. The album has quite a narrow perspective in terms of vision while their influences have a direct effect on everything about the album. Regrettably now, every detail of it shows the same traditional direction.

Moreover, the album sounds as if it belongs to an American band while having almost nothing about their true origins, about Ireland, giving up all the recognizability value in their work. In other words, the direct influences of the album shadowed the Outsound potential.

Additionally, I have found the album sound overly compressed, which caused damage to its overall dynamics.

Lastly, I imagined myself as their producer for a moment, which gave me the answer that I have been looking for from the beginning. I think Outsound has decided to build their empire on their direct influences while missing everything about what's special about themselves. I'd rather take a moment and try to figure out what makes this band special, then work on building a character depending on them. Regrettably, this has played a crucial role in the outcome, and the album sounded to me as if Outsound is playing their songs in a character that doesn't fit them, misleading, and way off from their actual potential.

Outsound, band photoPhoto credit: Unknown

In conclusion, I have had a good time listening to "Megatherium," and also was delighted to discover a band such as Outsound from Ireland. Good sounding easy-listening album with the '90s nostalgic vibes, incorporating familiar alternative, punk, grunge, and hard rock influences. Thank you for reading.

Credits

released June 9, 2023

Produced by Fintan McKahey at Ivy Hill StudiosArtwork by Colin Bolger of Dabulga DesignAudio visualizer by Sarah Mackey

Personnel

Steve Beale, Vocals and GuitarsAlan Murphy, Guitars Aaron Kennedy, Bass and VocalsLuke Butler, Drums and Vocals

Outsound on the Web

Bandcamp
Instagram
Spotify
Facebook
Youtube

Listen to Metalhead Community's The Next Big Thing In Rock Playlist on Spotify