On The Brink - "Somewhere Under Bethel"(Independent, 2005) - * * *

Upon first listening to the demo recordings that would become On The Brink's "Somewhere Under Bethel", a listener hears a band featuring a sound on the verge of something.

The material is certainly far from terrible, but the low fidelity nature of the recording, coupled with the band's derivative original songs can at first seem like something that has been heard before. The band clearly has talent, however, and to dismiss On The Brink so quickly would be a mistake. Most local bands don't have big album budgets, so judging an indie album solely on audio fidelity would be callous. First, consider that On The Brink is known around Muncie as a solid live band, one with a vast repitoire of cover material to draw from. Knowing that, it is easier to listen to this album and think of it more as a live performance. Compared to most groups in the region which focus primarily on covers, hearing a band like On The Brink try its hand at doing something original is admirable.

And while most of the songs dig deeply into the styles of the artists they're known to cover, the members of On The Brink do have the ability to work together to craft material that can support repeated listening. Songs like "Empty" and "Someday", which focus on concise acoustic melodies, give listeners a sample of the band's instrumental prowess. Comparably, "Different Glows" suggests more of an alternative metal sound may be waiting in the wings.
If you're at all interested in what the Muncie music scene is producing, check out On The Brink. They may not be at their desination, but if they work on developing their own songs to rely less on their influences, this group could make some waves here in the midwest.