SUICIDAL TENDENCIES: ‘Cyco Style.’
I don’t normally post updates on ‘big’ bands …. but (a) there’s not enough punk on LOUD HORIZON for my liking, and (b) I used to (and still do!) really like SUICIDAL TENDENCIES back in the day.
It’s now some thirteen years since the band last released any new material, so there’s a fair bit of excitement brewing in anticipation of new album, ‘13‘ which is due for release on 27th May. Unbelievably, this new long-player heralds the thirtieth anniversary of the band!
‘Cyco Style,’ is lifted from this new album and it shows the band and Mike Muir in particular, have lost none of their edge and energy over the years!
THE BOAT ENGINE MAKE NOISE: ‘The Boat Engine Make Noise’ EP
It’s been a while since I’ve posted any decent hardcore sounds to LOUD HORIZON. Probably not since I last reported briefly on this Italian outfit back in November in fact.
The strangely but memorably named THE BOAT ENGINE MAKE noise are a five-piece hardcore / electro fusion band from Genoa and this eponymous release is their debut recording.
In the earlier review (of the track ‘Ascension‘ which is included in this five-track EP) I remained to be convinced with regard to the slowed-down, electro influenced interludes on that particular track. I was really hoping that the rest of their work wouldn’t be too clouded by this mix and that they didn’t end up being like one of those instantly forgettable (for me at least) pretentious synth-led ‘alternative’ rock bands … see, I can’t recall any of their names to illustrate what I’m driving at!
But I needn’t have worried. This EP leans more on the ‘hardcore’ side with the synths most definitely taking on a support role. In fact, having listened through the tracks several times I’d say that the afore-mentioned ‘Ascension,’ whilst still a strong enough track, is my least favourite of the five.
There are two main reasons I think why I like THE BOAT ENGINE MAKES NOISE: firstly, the straight-up nature of their aural attack – there’s no over-complication or over-indulgence to their songs … they seem to just step up to the plate and knock it right out the park; secondly, the main vocal assault (and some guitar flashes) remind me a bit of one of my favourite all-time bands, the mighty Five Knuckle.
All of the tracks are kept short and direct – in the main hovering around the three-minute mark. The first of these is the self-titled ‘The Boat Engine Makes Noise,‘ which hits the ground running. The heavy, dark riffs are incessant but lightened in the chorus with synths and more melodic vocals. The lead vocal though is loud and proud – sitting comfortably somewhere between screamo and the gutteral grunts of death metal.
‘Every Word,’ has a controlled fury about it. Again there is the light / dark juxtaposition between the guitar and synths (which sound like they have some added tremolo) with the former certainly having the edge. ‘Ascencion,’ as mentioned previously has the basis of a great track – but this time there is more of an emphasis on the grandiose, and frankly unconvincing, electro side. The hardcore edge is more my personal taste – but hopefully this is just a little experimental blip!!
‘Black Rainbows’ is a kind of hardcore stomp! It marches steadfastly and determinedly through its two minute duration, but this time incorporates some little quirky distorted vocals in the chorus. The EP then ends with ‘No Connection,’ a raging track with an eerie sounding whine (like from a B-rated horror movie!) appearing in the first half while the final minute or so is filled with stop / start riffs. This track probably typifies best what the band are all about.
Yeah – THE BOAT ENGINE MAKE NOISE alright …. and it’s a pretty damn fine racket if you ask me!
(”The Boat Engine Make Noise’ EP is available now on a ‘name your price’ basis from the band’s Bandcamp Page)
(8.5 / 10)
ARCHERS AND ARROWS: ‘Self-Made Man’
Lausanne (Switzerland) is known more for its location on the beautiful and tranquil shores of Lake Geneva than it is for producing melodic, hardcore punk bands. Fact.
But ARCHERS AND ARROWS are doing their level best to bring some musical credibility to the city with their latest release, ‘Self-Made Man.‘ Taken from their latest album, ‘Alone Together,’ it reflects the honesty and exuberance the likes of Hot Water Music and others of that ilk. It’s catchy and boisterous and as is their ‘norm,’ very anthemic in its delivery.
Having supported bands like The Bouncing Souls, Gaslight Anthem and Roger Miret & The Disasters, they have the experience of playing before big crowds and maybe now is the time for them to break away from their picturesque roots.
(Of course, LOUD HORIZON featured ARCHERS AND ARROWS some time ago, and here are a couple of tracks lifted from the band’s eponymous release of 2010)
HORSE IN TRANSIT: ‘If I Were A God.’
To throw in the usual ‘brutal’ and ‘aural assault;’ cliches and simply pass off this six-track mini-album from this Scarborough band as ‘another hardcore record’ would be doing HORSE IN TRANSIT a great disservice.
Sure, the cliches are accurate enough, but there is more to these guys than simply thrashing out any old ramshackle noise.
Opening track ‘Hollow’ for instance had me thinking for the first of its two minutes duration that I was about to listen some sort of grunge infused effort. Fortunately, the second half morphs (well, more like ‘erupts’ ) dramatically into a cacophony of screamed vocals and searing guitar solos. It’s a really promising start, and with it being so brief at just two minutes duration, leaves me wanting more.
‘Chicken Run’ then sort of carries on where ‘Hollow’ left off. This time, the vocals vary between the more screamo style of the previous track and a more guttural growl. It’s all a bit frantic, but the song does have its little breakdowns and tempo changes that offer a little respite. The drumming is fast and furious and again attention and time is devoted to allowing the lead guitar a bit of freedom to roam where it fancies. The gang-shouted backing vocals add a bit of exciting variation.
‘Lucky Strike,’ is pretty much more of the same, but it slowly begins to dawn that HIT incorporate and cleverly meld their hardcore aspects with a more conventional rock sound – especially where the big guitar riffs are concerned.
‘Two’ lasts a mere one and a half minutes and as you can imagine is pretty intense. It’s like the band have thrown everything they’ve got into one mighty big pot and brought it to the boil … but forgot to turn down the heat again, resulting in all that noise spilling all over the place.
‘I Am,’ features dual vocals in a ‘scream-off’ sort of situation a la Blood Brothers gone metal, before the EP closes with ‘Survival Plan,’ throws in something different in the form of ‘properly sung’ choruses that owe more to heavy rock or even melodic punk than hardcore. Again there is some really good guitar work going on here, supported by those chunky riffs.
For its variation and non-reliance on the screamo / gurgling / metal type vocals (although they do appear in moderation) I’d say this is my favourite track.
It’s an exhausting listen I have to say, and there are many, many bands out there that produce this type of sound. But HORSE IN TRANSIT prove here that they are not simply a ‘one trick pony’ and with a bit more variation like that evidenced in the first and final tracks they will continue to bring something fresh to the hardcore stable.
(Released through Mercurial Records on 28th January 2013)
(8/10)
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THE BOAT ENGINE MAKE NOISE: ‘Ascension.’
This one arrived on the LOUD HORIZON desk this morning: THE BOAT ENGINE MAKE NOISE is possibly a candidate for the award of ‘Strangest Band Name of the Year’ award at the LOUD HORIZON year-end awards ceremony. If I had one.
This five piece from Genoa in Italy blend hardcore with electro sounds to produce a pretty invigorating sound. Personally, I’d like to hear more before deciding whether I like this or not .. I love the hardcore side and the strong vocals, but am still a little unconvinced on the slowed-down breaks and synth sounds.
The band’s debut EP ‘Black Rainbows‘ is due for release early in 2013 so we’ll have a better impression then. Meantime I have to say that I do like this particular track taken in isolation.
PULLED APART BY HORSES: ‘Epic Myth.’
It’s been quite a year for Leeds rockers, PULLED APART BY HORSES. From formation around two and a half years ago, they have grown into hard-hitting Festival head-liners and even bridged the gap between melodic hardcore and pop by being accepted on to the daytime playlist at Radio 1 of a ll stations! No mean feat, that! I can think of only Biffy Clyro before them and now Twin Atlantic that have done so in recent times.
To celebrate (and that sure looks to be just what they’re doing!) the band have released the following video in conjunction with the new single, ‘Epic Myth.‘
“Well it has been one hell of a year for us and we’re knee deep in writing now and looking forward to next year” explains guitarist James Brown. “One of the highlights was opening the main stages at Leeds/Reading this year which I don’t think we still quite believe happened.
“The video idea for ‘Epic Myth’ seemed a great way to celebrate (second album)’ Tough Love’ and the final single from it, even if we all did have the worst collective hangover ever after! Happy Christmas Everyone!”
SUCH GOLD: ‘Storyteller.’
Crashing out of Rochester, New York, melodic / hardcore unit SUCH GOLD are set to impact here in the UK come the New Year with the release of their debut album, ‘Misadventures.’ They have so far built up a strong following in the U.S. and this is set to be replicated in the UK when they ‘tour’ the album with Funeral For A Friend in late January and through February. (The dates are posted below.)
The band come with an impressive reputation, having featured in U.S. music mag. ‘Alternative Press’ as ‘one of the 100 bands you need to see.’ And this was even before they recorded their album which I believe is already available in their home territory where they have supported the likes of A Day To Remember, Polar Bear Club and MXPX. They have also previously visited these shores with The Wonder Years, but with an album now under their belts, 2013 could see their big breakthrough on this side of the Atlantic.
‘Misadventures’ is twenty-eight minutes of pure aggression that will quicken your pulse and make you think. Vocalist Kotin says “Many things in life seem like they’re caused by bad fortune but if you look deep enough you can see the reasons why things are the way they are. This is our life, our adventure.”
And this is what you can expect!
2013 tour dates –
Wed 23 Jan Belfast Limelight
Thu 24 Jan Derry Nerve Centre
Fri 25 Jan Cork Cypress Avenue
Sat 26 Jan Dublin Fibber Magees
Mon 28 Jan Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
Tue 29 Jan Bristol The Fleece
Wed 30 Jan Plymouth White Rabbit
Thu 31 Jan Exeter Cavern
Sat 02 Feb Bournemouth Sound Circus
Sun 03 Feb Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
Mon 04 Feb Brighton The Haunt
Wed 06 Feb Margate Westcoast Bar
Thu 07 Feb Cambridge The Junction
Fri 08 Feb Norwich Waterfront
Sat 09 Feb Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Mon 11 Feb York The Duchess
Tue 12 Feb Leeds Cockpit
Wed 13 Feb Glasgow King Tuts
Thu 14 Feb Newcastle Uni Students Union Venue
Sat 16 Feb Manchester NQ Live
Sun 17 Feb Stoke Sugarmill
Mon 18 Feb London Garage
Tue 19 Feb Birmingham Asylum
Coming soon …….!!! OLD FIRM CASUALS; BOOZE & GLORY; RAZORBLADE, and THE CORPS.
Check this out!
Coming soon via P & C Rebellion Records, a 4-way split EP / Album featuring THE OLD FIRM CASUALS; BOOZE & GLORY; RAZORBLADE, and THE CORPS.
You can order your copy from here:
www.rebellionshop.com
THE LITTLEST ALBUM: Various Artists
You learn to expect the unexpected whenever Glasgow punks, THE PLIMPTONS or even just any of their constituent parts are involved.
Which is why I was not in the least bit surprised to read about a forthcoming 7″ vinyl ALBUM, featuring twelve bands, each supplying a track with a duration of no more than 70 seconds! Of course, THE PLIMPTONS are featured as are offshoots, GUMS! and COLIN’S GODSON – all of which have been reviewed on LOUD HORIZON in the past few months.
There are some real little gems on this one – in fact there isn’t one bad track (but even if there were, you wouldn’t have to suffer it too long would you?) but as a long-standing fan of THE MURDERBURGERS (partly because of their Lillingtons / Teenage Bottlerocket similarity) I am particularly pleased to see them here.
And of course there are going to be a few pleasant surprises in such a frenetic and packed release – for me it’s THE PARAFINNS with all the electronic blips and bleeps of ‘Backwater.‘ PULSAR take this electronic theme and twist it with a sort of Country and Western Booty Rap, which kind of sums up the whole project!
And there’s got to be a special mention for a band I’d never heard of before, despite the Glasgow links – ATOMGEVITTER. Their hardcore contribution ’4298 Thrash Attack‘ takes me back to the days when the best band in the world, Bristol’s Five Knuckle, used to grace the stages around the city in the early part of the century.
Obviously I’ve missed mentioning a few bands – no offence intended – but you can listen to them all below, and hopefully show your support for an innovative project by pre-ordering a copy of the vinyl 7″ which is available for £5, including p&p!
Can’t say fairer than that!
REBELLION FESTIVAL: – at least not being there means ….
….I don’t have to make the choice between these two tomorrow (Sunday) night! Both are on within half an hour of each other, but on different stages: would you go see RANCID:
or, AGNOSTIC FRONT:
(A few years ago I had to choose between THE EXPLOITED and COCKSPARRER. I chose the former, despite having seen them several times previously, and never having experienced Oi’s finest. Wrong call! Though EXPLOITED were good enough, they were a bit below par to when I’d seen them previously … whereas COCKSPARRER almost tore down the Blackpool Tower itself, never mind the Empress Ballroom!)
Ah well … no decision to make this year.
VERA GRACE: ‘Rotations’ EP
Of all the musical genres featured on this blog, I’d say that Metalcore is the most difficult to assess without a trained ear. Hardcore Punk I’m fine with, but my Metalcore appreciation still requires a bit of work.
Hence this five-track EP from Oxfordshire five-piece VERA GRACE has probably been my most played EP of the past month or so, as I try to find something that would differentiate them from any number of other bands purveying this particular style of music.
Indeed, I was also on a bit of a quest to find something that would instantly differentiate one track from another.
On both counts, I’m sorry to say that I failed.
Look – I believe there have been some complimentary ‘comparisons’ made with the likes of Underoath, so these lads are obviously no mugs, but I still struggle to get into this one. I think in part it may be the switching of the vocal style from a kind of ‘screamo’ to ‘clean’ delivery. I can see / hear what VERA GRACE are trying to do, but the fact of the matter is that the former is far, far stronger and more relative to the band’s overall general sound than the latter.
I’m not averse to a bit of Metalcore, and have to say that during its numerous plays, I wasn’t moved to switch it off. But equally, I STILL can’t remember much about it, other than the sort of ‘gang-vocals’ towards the end of the final track, ‘We Are The Earth.’
But – this IS the band’s debut offering and so there’s time and room to improve and perhaps by the time of their sophomore release I’ll be a fully-fledged Metalcore critic!
(Released on a digital format on 14th May 2012)
(7/10)
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RAGWEED: ‘That’s Where Babies Come From.’
Brighton has over the past decade or so, built a reputation for spawning new, innovative, quirky artrock type bands. Indeed, some of my favourite bands have their roots in the sunny environs of the South Coast town.
But where you have a more balmy, temperate climate and a fertile ground for cultivating bright new music, these conditions will also encourage the growth of a less attractive, more irritating and aggressive type – RAGWEED!
This three-piece DIY punk band seems to be a thorn among roses. There is no denying them their space – not that they need much of it with only the third of the five tracks (‘Sunshine’) hanging around for anywhere near as long as three minutes!
There is a certain quaintness (if such a word can be used relative to punk music) about the CD that arrived here at LOUD HORIZON. It seems to embrace the DIY ethos, with the sound quality somewhat distant and hazy, like it’s been recorded in someone’s kitchen. Initially, I found it to be a bit annoying, but it actually somehow seems right.
In general, the songs are like a combination of your three chord ‘cretin rock’ bands (e.g. Teenage Bottlerocket) and the more threatening noise of some generic hardcore bands. It’s all pretty fast and furious and with five songs in marginally more than eleven minutes, RAGWEED sound like a band in a hurry.
It just goes to prove that even in the field of music, where you have flowers you have weeds. But perhaps they can grow together in harmony – or even discord!
(Self-released and available, I presume through the band directly.)
(7.5 / 10)
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ARCHERS AND ARROWS
Introducing ….. ARCHERS AND ARROWS.
(This very brief article consciously makes no obvious stereotypical references to Switzerland!)
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Video Section – Punk & Oi! – FIVE KNUCKLE
The VIDEO page has been updated / revamped, and the PUNK / Oi! section opens with personal favourites, FIVE KNUCKLE.
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WHEN WORDS FAIL: ‘Eyes On Everything’ EP
This five-piece from Swindon have not been around long, but they are already garnering a fair bit of national recognition for their energetic blend of melodic, hardcore rock.
Title track ‘Eyes On Everything’ sets the stall out and shows what WHEN WORDS FAIL are all about. Strong, at times ever so slightly rasping vocals soar and dip with the tempo, which induces mood changes throughout the song’s four minutes or so. The guitars are slick and the chorus is eminently catchy. However, the frequent changes in tempo leave me a little frustrated in that no sooner do I get involved with the gang-shouts an’ all, but the pace drops leaving me hanging somewhat.
‘Over Again’ is more to my liking. Propelled by some frantic drumming, the fury of the guitars and rhythm section is incessant. This one is straight-up, balls-out rock played with an intensity to match many of the band’s peers.
However, it’s the third and final track ‘Something For Nothing’ that appeals most. Perhaps starting out like the preceding song, it soon changes into something so much more commercially accessible. The riffs are stronger and more forceful, and the vocals through the verses is tending towards (but not quite) a rap-metal / hardcore delivery, which then morphs into a melodic but still dynamic chorus with excellent backing harmonies.
For my money, this should be the lead track as it’s the one that would most likely attract some radio airplay. It’s more ‘user-friendly’ than the other two and I would imagine will appeal to a wider cross-section of listeners.
Although perhaps not offering anything particularly groundbreaking, this three-track EP would certainly point to an excellent, sweaty night out at one of their shows, and will certainly be well appreciated by fans of the likes of Funeral For A Friend and A Day To Remember et al.
(Released through all digital outlets on 12th December 2011)
(8/10)
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OUR PEOPLE VERSUS YOURS: ‘Lights.’
Essex five-piece OUR PEOPLE VERSUS YOURS are set to cement their burgeoning reputation for producing incendiary Metalcore with this, their third EP release.
If you like your music hard-hitting and heavy, but not just so brutal that sitting too close to your speakers would have the same effect as shaving with a cheese-grater, then ‘Lights’ will do the job just nicely.
Now, there are Metalcore bands … and there are Metalcore bands. Whilst I like a lot of what’s around at the moment, I’d have to concede that many bands sound much of a muchness – there’s nothing to really distinguish one band from another. However to their credit, OUR PEOPLE VERSUS YOURS do offer just a little bit more than most.
Sure, the bulk of their music centres around the hardcore, screamed vocal style you would expect from a band of this ilk, but it also occasionally flirts with the more contemporary wailed (sorry, I can’t think of a better way of putting it!) delivery favoured by many of the current crop of young bands who fuse pop, teen-angst and even electro-dance influences with the more traditional hardcore delivery.
(I can’t say I’m a fan of this latter style, but thankfully it’s kept within reasonable proportions here and the bulk is still pretty hard-hitting.)
With the incorporation of at times, an almost anthemic feel to the choruses (prompting thoughts of 30 Seconds To Mars, a band I’m actually – and rather surprisingly – growing to like) OUR PEOPLE VERSUS YOURS dare to be different.
And pretty damn good, as a result!
(Released through all digital outlets on 21st November 2011)
(8/10)
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IMPACT: Artrocker New Blood Feature.
St .Neotts hardcore band IMPACT feature within the New Blood section of the current ARTROCKER MAGAZINE.
Read what we wrote here.
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DOOMED FROM DAY ONE: ‘The Wasted World.’
Jeez! This is brutal! In a good sort of way … I think!
‘Death Metal’ is not really area of music that I am particularly qualified to comment upon. I’m well up for it in smallish doses, like maybe back in the day when John Peel would play a track sandwiched in between the comedic indie tones of Half Man Half Biscuit, and the latest dub version of some politically motivated Burning Spear track.
And so it came as no surprise that I really did enjoy the first track proper on this six song EP. ‘Pretending’ is full of machine-gun staccato riffs and searing guitar solos with a growled and grunted vocal delivery over the top of some completely insane and manic drumming! It’s all served up at about one hundred miles an hour and barely pauses to draw breath. Loud, brash and aggressive, it seems to encapsulate all that’s good in metal and hardcore, with the heat generated from the friction of the two genres rubbing against each other melding them as one.
However, after the four minutes of ‘Pretending’ I find my aural senses bludgeoned into a submission and without a buffer between the subsequent tracks, I have to say that much of what follows really does test my staying power.
There are little weird interludes however. Like mid-track ‘Depths Of Imagination’ there is a really chilled sounding little jazzy spell, before the brutality returns. Similarly, ‘From Here On Out’ has a little quiet moment and ….. well, that’s about it I guess.
Look – I couldn’t honestly say how this EP stacks up within its peer group. But I do know that some of the heavy-hitting magazines like Terroriser and Metal Hammer have been generous in their praise. That is probably recommendation enough.
(Released through Noise Control Records on 14th November 2011)
(7/10)
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OURFAMOUS DEAD: ‘I Am Human.’
Ask me what current, and seemingly very popular band sends shivers of dread through my body. Go on. You wanna know? Pendulum, that’s who! Can’t stand ‘em! I just can’t see what all the fuss is about.
The Press Sheet that accompanies this EP states that ‘I Am Human’ comes ‘packing a heavy punch, with contagious cuts, commanding synth work and boundless energy.’ It also describes the music as ‘Hi –octane Electronicore.’
It all sounds kind of familiar and I fear the worst as the opening few bars of synth / keys lead me reluctantly into ‘Rate My Hate.’
But …..oh mercy! Thank you God! This is not what I was expecting. Within seconds, the screamed vocals hit. Hardcore style. Yeah, the synths are still in evidence and they indeed propel the song along at a pretty frantic pace, but it’s the vocals that steal the show – not just the lead role, but also the backing which vary from a strong, ‘straight’ melody to harmonic gang-shouts. It’s a really nicely balanced combination and works a treat!
‘Untitled’ differs quite considerably in that it is more guitar-based with chugging riffs interspersed with dual vocals and gang-shouts. There is a little synth passage towards the end that links the vocals to a short guitar solo, and again this works ever so well.
‘Great And Inevitable (Change)’ is probably the most commercially acceptable track of the four – one that would (or at least should) attract some decent daytime radio airplay. It does again rely on the vocals / backing package, but I hear lesser bands (my opinion) getting touted for inferior tracks.
‘Untitled Part Two’ either shows a lack of imagination in the song-title department, or I’m missing something! It doesn’t as far as I can hear, relate directly to the earlier ‘Untitled,’ and although there’s no denying the catchy refrain, it does feature a bit too much of the dreaded swirling synths for me. Sort of ‘Enter Shikari,’ perhaps?
I’ve never seen these guys play, but can imagine their shows being dramatically illuminated with lots of dry ice billowing across the stage. The crowd (and there most definitely will be ‘crowds’ and not just ‘audiences’) will be ‘young’ the average age say, under twenty-two? (Am I right?)
If not, I should be! I think OURFAMOUS DEAD could go well given the right breaks.
Nice one!
(Released on a digital basis only from 14th November 2011)
(8.5 / 10)
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DANGEROUS!: ‘Not One Of You.’
Yeah, OK. So the track is already being streamed elsewhere on this blog, but the physical copy of the single has just arrived and I thought maybe you’d like to get the brief LOUD HORIZON verdict. (You’re getting it anyway!)
Mixing the dual-screamed vocal assault style of the Blood Brothers with some great garage-inspired guitar riffs whilst retaining the punk ethos redolent of the likes of The Dead Kennedys and combining it all with the Sixties infused ‘woo-ooo-ooo,’ backing vocals pretty much covers it. Oh – and a good deal of swearing! (All we’re missing here is some Human League type electro and that’s about four decades of music all rolled into one two and a half minute single!)
Nah! Best the way it is! Great stuff!
(Released through Epitaph Records on 31st May 2011)
(8.5 /10)
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IMPACT: ‘Strength Through Loyalty’ EP
This EP from Cambridgeshire five-piece IMPACT is not due for release until 20th June this year and normally a review would not be posted this far in advance. But I had a quick listen to ‘Strength Through Loyalty’ as soon as it landed on the doormat. I loved it! So it has jumped right to the top of the pile of CDs marked ‘to be done.’ And if I remember, I will re-post these words a couple of weeks before release.
Metalcore can generally go one way or the other with me. I can take it or leave it as a rule. Hardcore punk however, is just the business! On this EP, IMPACT have successfully and seamlessly merged the two genres into fifteen minutes of a brutal aural assault although I would say the sound is more loaded in favour of the latter.
The EP’s title as well as those of the five component songs leave the prospective listener in doubt as to what they should expect. There is a heavy dose of testosterone infused within the names given to the songs.
‘To Those Lives Lost,’ is the first up. This one has more of a Metal base to it, opening in a raging Pantera style, with indistinct growled vocals punctuated by staccato, machine-gun styled bursts of heavy guitar riffs. However, at various points the drumming takes on a more frantic and punk style, which changes the dynamics altogether and the song then alternates between the two styles throughout.
‘Seconds Out’ is a bit of a reversal in delivery, starting this time in pure punk hardcore fury, but gravitating to a more deliberate and chunky-riffed metal final minute or so. ‘Bite The Bullet’ starts out where the previous track ended, but this lasts just thirty seconds or so, before the final minute and a half is given over to to the more frenzied punk style. The vocals are more Roger Miret than Dimebag Darrell, but the guitar and gang-shouted backing vocals remind me a little of one of my favourite all-time bands (any genre) – Five Knuckle. So that’ll be a great big tick against that one then!
‘Trouble Finds Me’ brings both genres together throughout its duration, the vocal delivery in keeping with the punk side of things, the guitars veering towards the Metal edge, and the drumming marrying the two together.
Final track ‘The Remedy’ is kind of Agnostic Front…. fast furious and unrelenting, with the vocals again reflecting the gruff, slightly hoarse sound of Roger Miret.
This EP will certainly not be everyone’s choice of fifteen minutes well spent I know that. But seriously, you should give it a chance. Amongst all the aggression and angst, there is melody. These guys have been crafting their sound for about ten years and this is seemingly their debut EP!
If this be the first, I sure as hell hope it ain’t the last!
(Self released and available through I-Tunes and Amazon from 20th June 2011)
(10 / 10)
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AARON’S AGONY: ‘Lost Inside Myself.’
With a band name like Aaron’s Agony and a lead singer called ‘Die’ you would be forgiven for thinking you were about to be subjected to 40 minutes of whiny ear bashing. While the band name conjures up thoughts of lyrics full of fretful grumblings of broken hearts and outcast teenage years, ironically the only song which comes close to this is track three ‘Feeling Lovesick is for Assholes’.
‘Lost Inside Myself’ is an album that is much better musically than it is lyrically. The lyrics are dark but convoluted, there is a message in there somewhere but its difficult to decipher what that is. There are a lot of gothic references and mentions of judgement and redemption. If these lyrics were written sincerely then this is a band with some real issues. That being said there are plenty of albums that are lacking lyrically but have still done well enough.
The real muscle in this album is in the instrumental. The album floats between medium and fast paced punchy numbers and there is enough variance to keep it interesting. Despite the high tempo it doesn’t feel rushed, the songs are not relentless, there are prolonged bridges and outros which help break up the pace making it more palatable.
None of the songs are exactly anthemic and this is far from radio friendly music. This is however exactly the type of high adrenaline rock music that I thrived on in my younger days (did I just say that?). This album would translate very well in to a live show and would benefit from being ‘felt’ in a dingy venue surrounded by other like-minded souls rather than simply listened to.
Stand out song is track five ‘We Are Back’ which is a strange name for track on a debut album. The guitar hooks can be likened to those of Senses Fail and Story of the Year. It is definitely one of the most accessible songs on the album. It is the simplest track lyrically, the verses are shorter and choruses repeated more.
‘Lost Inside Myself” ticks all the boxes for a good contemporary hardcore/screamo album. Melodic vocals, abstruse screaming and short punchy guitar hooks. If you enjoy this genre you will enjoy this album.
(There are no album tracks currently available on Soundcloud, so here’s a static video soundtracking the aforementioned ‘We Are Back.’)
(Released through Ant Street Records on 07 March 2011)
(7.5/10)
Gary Moyes
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