You could believe in sugar and spice and all things nice. You could believe that understatement and sensitivity are key in your selection of music or, on the other hand, you might prefer a direct blow to the head such as you get with “Enigmatic Smile”, the second album from German post-hardcore band Annisokay.
That’s not to say that this album is no more than a mere exercise in volume and guttural growls for, while everything that you would expect of the genre is present and correct, the lingering impression left is that of a band pursuing a more melodic, or at least a more American approach, to getting their musical message across.
So, while “Carry Me Away” could, despite the spirited vocals, be just about any band with similar motivations, “New Autumn Light” highlights what Annisokay can do when they throw some drama into the mix. “Snowblind” further reinforces the band’s commercial inclinations and could, especially in the context of this album, be the song most likely to cause you to sing along rather than bang your head off the wall.
A spirited album that neatly parallels the expectations of the genre, “Enigmatic Smile” marks Annisokay’s concerted, and well judged, attempt at the mainstream.