The Deccan Traps – ‘The Deccan Traps’

(Escape Music)

The Deccan Traps self-titled debut arrives with the kind of promise that makes you lean forward before you’ve even pressed play. The band name alone suggests something heavy, volcanic and sprawling – the album art doesn’t exactly dial that back. What you get, however, isn’t a seismic event so much as a long, steady rumble – occasionally exciting, occasionally frustrating and ultimately decent without being essential. In other words, it’s a solid middle-of-the-road rock record.

From the opening track The Deccan Traps make their intentions clear. This is guitar strong, roots aware rock with a modern sheen, drawing from the familiar well of 90’s alternative and classic hard rock. The riffs are chunky but not crushing, the tempos mostly mid-paced and the overall vibe favours atmosphere over aggression. That’s not a bad thing, but it does mean the album rarely surprises you once it gets going.

The band’s strongest asset is its guitar work. There’s a real sense of craft in the layering of parts, one guitar holding down a thick fuzzy rhythm while another snakes around it with melodic leads. On some tracks the interplay feels thoughtful and patient, never rushing to the obvious climax. You can hear the influence of bands who knew how to let a groove breathe and when The Deccan Traps lean into that restraint, the songs benefit.

Vocally, things are more hit and miss. The singer Ricardo Afonso has a serviceable, slightly weathered tone that fits the music well enough, but there’s a sameness from track to track that starts to wear thin. The melodies are competent, occasionally catchy, but rarely memorable. You don’t come away humming much, which is a problem on a record that stretches past the forty-minute mark without a lot of dynamic variation.

Lyrically, the album sticks to familiar rock terrain – introspection, restlessness, vague dissatisfaction and the occasional cryptic image that sounds meaningful without quite landing. Nothing here is offensively bad but nothing really cuts deep either. It’s the kind of writing that works fine in the moment but doesn’t invite much reflection once the song ends. Again, adequate, not exceptional.

The rhythm section deserves some credit for keeping things grounded. The bass often mirrors the guitar riffs adding weight without clutter and the drumming is steady and tasteful. There are a few moments where a more adventurous beat or a sharper fill could have elevated a track, but the band seems content to prioritize cohesion over flash. That choice makes the album easy to listen to, though perhaps too easy at times.

Production-wise, the album sounds good without sounding distinctive. Everything is clear, balanced and professional, but there’s a slight sterility that holds the songs back from feeling truly alive. For music that leans on grit and groove, a bit more rawness or imperfection might have gone a long way. As it stands, the polish smooths over both the rough edges and the potential peaks.

Where the album struggles most is in its pacing. The Deccan Traps front-load some of their stronger material, then settle into a long stretch of songs that blur together. None of them are bad, but several feel like variations on the same idea, differing more in title than in substance. By the time the closing tracks roll around, you’re ready for a left turn that never quite comes.

That said, there are moments that hint at a more compelling band just beneath the surface. When they push the tempo, stretch out an instrumental section, or let a riff get weird for a few extra bars, the album briefly sparks to life. Those flashes make you think that with a bit more risk taking, the next record could be something special.

In the end, The Deccan Traps’ self-titled album is a perfectly respectable debut that does more right than wrong. It’s well played, well recorded, and grounded in a clear sense of identity. It just doesn’t demand your attention the way great records do. You’ll enjoy it while it’s on, nod along to a few riffs, maybe replay a track or two, and then move on.

This is a band with talent and potential, delivering an album that’s solid but safe. If they’re willing to dig deeper, take bigger swings and trust their instincts a little more next time, The Deccan Traps could turn that steady rumble into a real eruption.

6/10

Essential Track – ‘Chain Me (To The Wall)’

Review by Woody