This is our second EP, the long awaited follow up to 2008's 'Baby Monster'. Anhedonia was recorded over several months throughout the tail end of 2009 at a couple of different studios. the album art is taken from a promo shoot at an abandoned asylum in Talgarth. This album contains a favourite track of ours to play live, Dirty Blonde. On the horizon are some music videos for a couple of tracks and maybe even a full live album over the summer. Enjoy Reclusites! Suck in that Recluse alternative rock / Grunge vibe we know you all love. The last track is an original demo recording of an acoustic version of Passing Cars.

Art courtesy of Richard Lewis.

Reviews:
www.stereoboard.com/content/view/160986/9
Recluse are an unsigned Cardiff based three piece alternative rock band. Their latest EP Anhedonia is available for download now.

They formed in July '08 and have been interestingly described as sounding like 'Queens of the Stone Age getting molested by Smashing Pumpkins' and 'Early Nirvana kissing Kyuss whilst secretly thinking about Pearl Jam'.

The group are well known on the Welsh gig circuit and have headlined Barfly Cardiff, le Pub Newport as well as several other smaller UK festivals and Recluse are currently finalising a tour with Cardiff band Eject Pilot Eject.

The group produce a heavy, bass filled sound laced with good emotive vocals, which do the well penned lyrics the justice they deserve. The drumming and guitar riffs are fantastic and the varied sound and up and down nature of the songs takes you on several well directed journeys as you listen.

Passing Cars is the first track on the EP and is currently available as a single from the groups Myspace page. www.myspace.com/recluseuk. The heavy metallic guitar melody and scratchy riffs set a steady, noise filled background to the song, kept together with excellent stomping drumming. The guitar and drums work brilliantly together and the vocals are equally as impressive. They stroll through the track, until near the end where they really stretch and strain, before the instruments then pick it up a notch and a lovely deep bass line kicks in for good measure. It is a track that grows and grows musically and vocally. An excellent choice for a single release.

We Could Both Use Someone is less exuberant guitar-wise, but the drumming is again fantastic and the bass, wow, the bass line is great, warm and deep it plods through the track, before heavy riffs play alongside it as the track explodes into a frenzy of rock. The vocals are full of emotion and sung softly, delivering the lyrics brilliantly, before exploding in parts with the guitar and drums at the heavy points throughout the track.

Dirty Blonde is an infectious explosion of bass filled rock noise. Loud and heavy, the bass and drumming fantastic and the riffs awesome. The track is alive and frantic with an immense bass line again. The vocals too are fantastic, delivering another set of well written lyrics with emotion. The instrument solos throughout the track build and build from plodding bass and drums into an explosion of full on head banging noise before calming, slightly again for the vocals which crack and strain with emotion. It is a long track which demonstrates the group’s musical ability brilliantly; the track rises and falls throughout with everything from full on head banging metal music, through to quite beautiful, steady guitar riffs, with the vocals to match. You could be listening to many great rock musicians at any one time here from Led Zeppelin through to AC/DC and everybody in between.

Remain begins with a lovely soft guitar lick, which builds in volume and pace steadily, with the drums, then falls again. This is much softer and the vocals really come into their own. Midway through, the track then shifts its stance once more and hits us with a lovely infectious instrumental which begins a slight lift in the track, as the group rock once more. It is definitely the fantastic range in the vocals which make this track, the emotion and quality on show is exceptional.

The EP ends with an acoustic version of Passing Cars. It shows a completely different side to the group and a lovely warm sound and a fantastic appreciation of melody. The vocals are once again brilliant and the use of backing vocals is also fantastic.

This EP is diverse and shows real talent. It is not just a bombardment of noise, but a show of diverse ability, vocal strength and an ability to rock out, when required. It ticks all the boxes that you want from a rock record and the sound is both unique and fresh. Recluse have avoided the temptation to turn the volume up to full and produce an over heavy record, instead it is an emotive, well structured selection of tracks, which show a great range in ability and an understanding of sound.


www.roomthirteen.com 11 out of 13
We at Room Thirteen named Recluse our Band of the Month in February 2010 after the band impressed us with their debut EP, ‘Baby Monster’. Could they reaffirm our view with this new offering?

Well, simply, yes they did.

Featuring four tracks (and an additional acoustic version of opening track ‘Passing Cars’), Recluse prove again that they are not your average indie band.

The EP opens on an upbeat note with ‘Passing Cars’; although it feels as if it’s lacking a bit of “oomph” in places, as the song progresses the strength of the vocals increases, giving it a much-needed kick. Second track ‘We Could Both Use Someone’ introduces a rather groovy rhythmic accompaniment whilst third track ‘Dirty Blonde’ has a great instrumental section that really shows off each of the guys’ individual talents. The guitar solo in particular sent shivers up my spine.

Penultimate track ‘Remain’, so simple yet so full of emotion, was my favourite track of the album, combining a “bare essentials” approach with full-blown heavy instrumentals to accentuate the emotional climaxes to perfection. The acoustic version of ‘Passing Cars’ ends the EP on a subtle note with no grand gestures and no gimmicks; it works wonderfully!

“Anhedonia” has lost the dark atmosphere of “Baby Monsters”, but it is great to see another side to the trio. Great work lads!


www.blazingminds.co.uk/anhedonia-recluse-music-review
I was lucky to get an email from the singer/guitarist of the band Recluse asking me if I would like to check out their second EP titled Anhedonia, so how could I resist checking out a band I hadn’t heard off and were from Wales

This is their second EP, the long-awaited follow-up to 2008′s ‘Baby Monster’. Anhedonia was recorded over several months throughout the tail end of 2009 at a couple of different studios. the album art is taken from a promo shoot at an abandoned asylum in Talgarth. This album has a favourite track of theirs to play live, Dirty Blonde.

Now I’ve not been one for listening to the Grunge Rock genre, but I do like to dabble in all sorts of musical tastes, so this was going to be interesting for me, so after getting hold of the EP, I threw it on my iTunes and gave it some worthy listens on my trusty iPod…

So it’s now time for my verdict on the five tracks that are on the EP.

The first track “Passing Cars” does seem to have everything you’d want from a track, drums, guitar, good vocals and lyrics, kind of reminds me of The Foo Fighters, so a good start there then The vocals do become stronger as the track runs and I certainly found it to be a track that I could listen to over and over again.

Followed on by “We Could Both Use Someone” this track has a softer sound to the previous track and the bass is quite prominent with a nice flow to it.

“Dirty Blonde” now this is a track not to be messed with and soon as this track came on I cranked up the volume and played it LOUD! It’s the longest track on the EP and it really shows that these guys know what they are doing with some amazing guitar work which reminded of the great Steve Howe, more, more MORE!!!! (Hang on while I play this track a few more times …. hell YEAH!!!!) ;)

Oh, sorry on to the next track “Remain“, after been completely blown away by “Dirty Blonde” my heart was slowed down a tad with another track that just begged for more spins, so it got them and yet again another track that is such a joy to listen to with its simple use of the guys playing some great music.

Finally on to an acoustic version of “Passing Cars” WOW! Simple and precise, a fantastic way to finish an album, not so much going out with a bang, but going out in complete style. I salute you

So after listening to Recluse, I’m now a fan and I think you maybe one too after listening to them, if you would like to know more about Recluse check out their MySpace page and get their brilliant music from BandCamp


www.arcticreviews.co.uk/index.php?section=1&rid=436
Exactly when did the term "Hard rock" become so horribly uncool? Did we miss a meeting? Was there a vote? Looking back, somewhere between Stiltskin and nu-metal, the sound of two-stroke and old leather became about as popular as a cock flavoured lollipop, leaving us with wimpy outfits we used to bully at school like the Mystery fucking Jets. Go figure.

Welsh trio Recluse certainly didn't get that email based on the contents of Anehedonia. Although dressed up in slightly grungy clothing - especially on the cascading rifferama of Dirty Blonde - they're far less contrived than some of the other would-be Babes In Toyland clones like Japanese Voyeurs. Opener Passing Cars buzzes like a low slung, scuzzier Soundgarden, whilst the following We Could Both Use Someone is just plain ol' back room rock n' roll, all check shirts and greasy hair and tokes and bottles of Jack by candlelight.

South Wales of course has form when it comes to telling us to fuck ourselves with our narcissistic English view of what constitutes acceptability. And if the links here to 60 Ft. Dolls and Stereophonics are tenuous, the basic honesty of Remain at least serves as a reminder that not all tastemaking involves weeding out the dross. Recluse are swimming against the tide, but that's alright by us.