By Carl Begai
As first albums go The Agonist’s 2007 debut, Once Only Imagined, was a decent start. In spite of the unfortunate title – it’s memorable for the fact you can’t say it even one time fast – and a bumpy track sequence, the album put the band in people’s faces by yielding the brash single and video ‘Business Suits And Combat Boots’ and enabling them to jump on several different North American support tours. Of particular interest was frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz, both for her Gossow-meets-Scabbia vocal acrobatics and her looks, to a point where the music and the guys behind it were often reduced to an afterthought by the press. As if to call these people out The Agonist’s new album, Lullabies For The Dormant Mind, is everything a sophomore record should be, expanding on the ideas and performances put down on the debut in ways nobody could have imagined. This includes the band who, according to Alissa in a 2008 interview with BW&BK, weren’t sure of the direction their second album would take, with guitarist Danny Marino wanting to go down a more melodic avenue with his playing while she was determined to make things heavier. Turns out they both got their wish, although the record does favour Alissa’s frame of mind
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