So begins the year of Moiré.

Moiré translates to “a distorted, repetitive pattern that distracts the viewer from its intended object of focus,” but there is nothing ambiguous about their latest album Without Place. The CD is one of the most direct, to-the-point discs from the area in years. It is about time they release their first full-length recording – fans have been waiting far too long.

The band spent six months recording the new album at Westend Studios. In comparison to previous work, the recording quality sounds superb. However, vocals are too loud and overpower the music, and it is bass heavy. On past Moiré recordings, the drums sounded stuck in a cardboard box, but on Without Place, every thump and clang is clearly audible. Overall, he CD sounds clean, crisp and professional.

On Without Place, vocalist Waylon Callahan’s vocal style is demanding, and he is a strong front man, but his voice noticeably cracked occasionally. While the majority of the lyrics are not decipherable, the chants of “Satan” in the song “Six,” are much too tacky. In a powerful break from all screaming, it is nice to hear finally a vocal melody on “Enigma.” Structure appears to play a vital role in the tracks on Without Place. The guitar riffs make Moiré memorable, and give them a definitive sound that sticks out in the listeners’ minds, putting a creative spin on generic metal riffs. When sampler Paul Kelley joined the band he brought an all-new element to Moiré, one might experience confusion as to whether to laugh or to hide when his choice samples hit the airwaves. The drumming of Adam Lichtenauer is outstanding, one of the strongest points in the band. Lichtenauer is crisp, fast, precise and heavy as hell.

The individual members of Moiré are distinct, but are most powerful when they come together as a cohesive unit. They are a tight, whole piece as opposed to single components slopped together. The album has minor areas in need of improvement, but it is definitely a quality local purchase.

Moiré defines Kansas City heavy metal at its finest. Without Place was worth every second of the wait.