The tension of a classic riff in the making breaks the silence left behind by one of the fastest growing bands of 2010. Subterranean bass riffs rise like awoken dead. A constant rhythmic barrage finally propels the song into a newfound realm of confidence and anger. Before this controlled chaos has even convened for the first chorus, "Lawless" does exactly what an opener should: prepares. By the time the song has finally arrived at the scathing critique of "tortured" image-based artists, the message is loud and clear; Colfax aren't interested in the reinventions of any wheel on the proverbial bandwagon, but are hell-bent on snapping the axles straight off and leading people to the promised land the old-fashioned way - quality music.

 

Colfax have almost totally abandoned the poppier influences of their debut album "Keys to the Midway" with the band opting for a sound that has much more in common with blues, southern rock and even metal. Front to back, "One Big Quicksand" seldom falls victim to routine, cementing Colfax's reputation of unpredictability and execution. Guitarists Brock Tinsley and Daniel Mac Donald steer clear of cold technicality in favor of raunchy, stylish passages that bring the band's southern rock fascination to the foreground on songs like "Mojave, Mo' Problems". Slower ambitions lie in the triumphant "Away with Words", accented with hints of prog and 80's stadium rock provided by drummer Kenny Saunders (who channels this era with ease despite his young age). Colfax have also enlisted the expertise of producer and engineer Jayson DeZuzio, whose direct experience with Coheed and Cambria, Four Year Strong and My Chemical Romance remains truly evident throughout.

 

The most notable addition to the record, however, lies in newcomer vocalist Ian Nichols, who particularly shines as he caresses the words of a Spanish ghost story in "iLa Pistola!" - brilliantly juxtaposing the jazzy, unrelenting instrumentation with a voice that is all his own. But this is a band who have learnt that setting yourself on fire - artistically, metaphorically or otherwise - is not the route to lasting impressions or genuine respect; the delicate balance of pop sensibility and southern-metal ferocity is fully realized in "P (As in Pneumonia)" and the anti-gold digger anthem "Sweet Smoke", where Colfax eschew the extremes of either genre and leave them for the one-trick ponies.

 

If their latest release successfully proves anything, it’s that Colfax is trying - sincerely - to ensure that any listener can escape from the quicksand of the current music scene. Whether this escape is momentary or ever lasting is entirely up to the audience.

 

Bigfoot Doesn't Have Any Sisters Two Wrongs Are Just The Beginning Run I Once Knew A Real Boy The Act Of Breathing In Lay Low Little Miss 1565 Minstrels That Has To Be A Gaff Make Haste Not So Much Held, As Embraced

Keys to the Midway - April 2010

Blue Sapphire Music / Universal Music Canada

The massive debut album Keys to the Midway; an aural assault of the band’s patented brand of aggressive melodic rock that finds Colfax knitting big top-sized choruses seamlessly with a variety of punishing hooks.

While they weren't legally able to sit at the bar upon the creaton and release of their first record, Keys to the Midway found Colfax setting one of their own to heights previously unknown. With a tasteful vision that merged the best possible approaches, the band crafted music that is equal parts muscle and melody. The pummeling-pop insistency of “Run (Certain Something)” and the nightmare-gone-wrong “Bigfoot Doesn’t Have Any Sisters” (the latter teetering on the brink of pure catatonia) have become fan favourites well within the year of it's release in April 2010.

Be it the urgent, angular riffs that energize “Little Miss 1565” or the gentle, string-laden sway of “The Act of Breathing In”, Colfax remained largely indifferent to the trends and popular opinion that surfaced on the backend of the decade. By focussing on their newfound passion for their instruments (read: learning to play and record for the first time), their result was a collection of diverse music that landed them a deal with Universal Music Canada.

Presently, only limited copies of the final pressing remain as Colfax look towards a bright, new future, yet Colfax will not soon deny the roots that brought them to where they are today. Keys to the Midway will forever serve as the one that started it all as well as rewarding the discerning listener with hidden gems that capture the pivotal moments of growth and discovery in a budding rock band.