SAINT BLASPHEMER – Theotokos

West coast Alt Rock / Grunge warriors Saint Blasphemer are back with a new EP, Theotokos. With the current music market favoring singles and EPs, it’s clear why it has been only 6 months or so since the group’s last release. That being said, Theotokos is a step up in both production quality and artistic substance compared to the band’s earlier releases.

At the helm of this four piece outfit, we find Thomas Monroe delivering the kind of flexible yet determined vocal performance that we would expect within the 90’s influenced style. Landing somewhere between a laid-back Nirvana and a more thoughtful Danzig, Saint Blasphemer’s attitude and sound is accessible but without being too inoffensive or soulless.

While this five track EP might not carve out any new musical sub-genres, it will more than fill the cup of any 90’s Alt Rock fan with a guilty pleasure of shoe gazing. Tracks like “Collapse” deliver some fresh lyrical ideas as well as a song structure that seems familiar, but isn’t. In such a well-tread style, it can be difficult for a modern group to distinguish itself, but Saint Blasphemer seems to be getting closer and closer to do just that, with each new release.

As Theotokos spins along, we’re hit with a well-timed dose of psychedelic, Beatles influenced vibes on “Road To Nowhere”.  The track breaks up the flow of the album nicely, which could otherwise have been a bit predictable, yet it remains clearly within the artistic realm of the release. It’s a nice reminder that this EP should be listened to intently, and not unfairly relegated to background music. Overall, Theotokos will likely be a solid stepping stone in the discography of Saint Blasphemer. When a band has this much to say, perhaps there is still room in today’s market to consider a full-length release, and this EP may award several points in favor of a longer, more substantial album.