“The Search” is El Caco’s third full-length, and these Norwegians call Black Balloon Records their home. The trio is most definitely a hard rock outfit, but some of the riffage treads the line between rock and metal. Overall, “The Search” is a mixed bag that yields both diamonds and coal.

“Someone New” is seemingly a retaliatory response to an ex-lover or someone similar, and is a reasonable introduction to the three-piece. It’s ultimately one of the more forgettable moments of the disc, although their energy shines through in spades. We get a slightly different vocal take on “Stuck to Deteste,” as they sound processed rather than acoustic. And, El Caco has the ability to kill with simplicity, like the monster riffs at the 2:15 minute mark of the aforementioned opus; complexity isn’t everything. The guys settle down for “Underneath.” Maybe it’s just me, but I think this tune is similar to that of a more melodic Audioslave. Bands seldom stick to one, uh, shtick and “The Search” returns to heaviness with the advent of “Fallen.” I really enjoy the riffage present at the 2:00 minute mark plus – by the time that particular moment rolled around – I realized that El Caco’s strongest attribute is their guitar riffs, which is only heightened by their utilization of a crunchy tone. “Substitute” has an arena rock feel to it due to the bombastic drums that helm the beginning – again, kickass riffs take center stage in latter passages.

Unfortunately, “Dislocated” is a lighter take that fails to match up to their heavier numbers. I noticed myself drifting during the soft moments on “The Search.” But “Leaving” is a nice exemplification of what the group does well, because it commences with solid, cascading riffing. “Lord It” and “Straitjacket” aren’t radically different from their ancestors, and neither is “The Tender Sin.” At first glance, “Down the Lake” is an extraneous, serene effort that lasts for the better part of five and a half minutes. Interestingly enough, though, the secret song starts at 22:40. It’s relatively heavy, but seems more experimental in nature.

So, El Caco present a full-length that contains as many gems as stones, which most assuredly presents a problem for the listener. I can only hope the band improves in the future, but there are a few select tracks on here that grabbed me. Alas, “The Search” isn’t worth searching for.

[This review was first published on the now defunct scandinavianmetal.info webzine]