EP Review: Khaos Theory - Blind Ambition (WORLD EXCLUSIVE)

If you have been following the blog on Facebook or on Twitter you will know that I have been looking forward to this one, so I knew it was going to be a good day when I woke up on Wednesday to find this record tucked up in my inbox.

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Primevil Elements which I really enjoyed, but all the way through the process of meeting the band etc they had been adamant that the new EP was going to be something special. They may not have said it outright but you just got the feeling that they had high hopes for this record. So naturally by the time I got to hit play on it so did I.

Somewhat unusually the first thing you notice is the artwork; it really ties in with the rest of the EP and just helps gives the whole thing a bit more of a professional feel. Bass takes centre stage on opening track ‘Endless Retribution’ with a short quiet intro leading into a thundering guitar riff. It’s full throttle and high on energy but interspersed by short almost acoustic interludes. The tempo changes give a nice variation while the vocal falls somewhere between James Hetfield of Metallica and David Draiman of Disturbed.

‘Die Inside’ picks up exactly where ‘Endless Retribution’ left off, the pace is just relentless. The main riff is nothing massively complex or spectacular but it does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It pulls the track along and most importantly it’s catchy. It will have you humming along in no time. This is something I felt that Primevil Elements lacked so it’s great to hear this progression. The song also features a brilliant breakdown where the drums lead the way into almost a march. Everything then kicks back up a gear eventually leading into an impressive guitar solo.

Final track ‘Never In the Sun’ is the longest track on the EP and in my view will make a great addition to their live set. Personally I would use it to close the show; it’s got that kind of epic feel to it, but that’s just me. This is the song that had me hitting the replay button over and over again. Out of everything that I have heard from the band this has to be my favourite track.

It starts off in slow methodical mood, with a Metallica style drum beat laying the foundations. But I really fell in love with the track at precisely 1 minute and 54 seconds. This is when the first tempo change/progression kicks in. This is Black Sabbath circa 1970; to me this is how hard rock/metal should sound.

Now I can be listening to a song and nodding away and enjoying it but when something really grabs my ear my mates will tell you I start to smile like a total idiot. That progression got that smile. (Yes I’m a music geek)The layering of the guitars in sections is very Thin Lizzy, and the solo as always is totally on point. Lyrically it hits the spot and the way the track winds down towards the end gives a real feeling of completion.

The quality on display on Blind Ambition is frankly second to none. The band have used their previous material as a springboard and the progression here is remarkable. The songs are better structured, and everything just sounds more polished and well rounded. The musicianship is top notch and the bands willingness to let the bass come to the forefront of tracks is something which should applauded.

It’s focused, it’s hard-hitting, and it’s simply brilliant.

Album Review: Martyr De Mona - Impera

‘Impera’ (Latin) Translation - ‘rule.’ From the phrase - ‘Divide et Impera’ = ‘Divide and rule.’   

Martyr De Mona are made up of Louis Hale (Vocals/Guitar) Ant Rickett (Guitar/Vocals) Joshua Wooldridge (Bass/Vocals) and Ashley Leatherland (Drums) As I have said many times before there is a real buzz around the music scene in the Black Country at the moment and the general feeling is that these guys are leading the charge, so there is almost an expectation that this record will be the one that will breakthrough and pave the way for the bands currently jostling for position just behind them. No pressure.

Opening track ‘Siege Mentality’ is a slow build. The opening minute of atmosphere building piano serves as not only a great intro to the track but a great intro to the album. The melodic opening also differentiates the band from the current trend of trying to be the loudest and the fastest seemingly purely for the sake of it. That’s not to say that this is some gentle ballad, soaring vocals and equally soaring guitars soon takeover giving an insight of what is to come.

‘Influence and Persuasion’ is the first track that I ever heard from the band, something about it really caught my ear, and a month on it sounds as good as it ever did. The song’s hook begins with the line ‘To live free or die with regret,’ which I just think is a fantastic lyric. It’s really simple but it’s something that can really connect with the listener.  This melodic but hard hitting style is fast becoming the bands trademark.

Sparse, low key intros are a feature of this album. They really help build the track, and provide a subtlety giving the record a real ebb and flow. Nowhere is this more apparent than on ‘Reprisal’ where the track flickers into life in almost haunting fashion. The track is a slight step down in pace form the opening couple but still retains the same hard rock edge.

‘Sentient’ sees the vocal from Hale really come to the fore. It has a familiar sound without sounding like a straight copy from bands gone by. There are echoes of Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach) but the song itself has a real Alter Bridge style feel to it, and anyone who knows this blog will know that in my eyes that’s no bad thing. The track does have one real surprise in store where the guitars briefly drop away before returning with an imposing riff that gives the track a totally different feel.   

In contrast to the previous couple of songs title track ‘Impera’ is all action from the start. The scream background vocal really gives the track an edge. ‘Nothing Sacred’ again begins in similar vein but has more of a melodic feel. I was unsure about the song on the first few listens but it really grew on me, with the brilliant guitar solo in the final third of the song making a lasting impression.

We now arrive to my favourite track on the record; ‘Gravity Breaks.’ On an album packed full of high points, this for me is definitely the highest. Lyrically I feel that this is the band at their brilliant best. The opening verse is fantastic, set to a backdrop of gentle guitars and understated drums you really get a chance to feel the lyrics. Again the Alter Bridge influence is evident in the structure of the song, but it’s still wonderfully original. It’s an incredibly well-crafted song which could potentially make a brilliant single.

‘Kyo’ is a musical force of nature. If this track doesn’t get your head bobbing nothing on this Earth will. You’re a lost cause. Powerful vocals, guitars performing gymnastics and a brilliant breakdown bringing drummer Leatherhead’s skills to the forefront all help to create what is hard rock at its finest. Penultimate track ‘Suffer Unto Me’ comes with now obligatory great intro and an a sort of anthemic quality. This is something that runs throughout the album, and I think helps give it the flow and polished feel that comes crashing through your speakers.

If I had to describe album closer ‘Hollow Shore’ in one word that word would be ‘epic.’ There are more ups and downs here than at the biggest of theme parks. This is the whole album wrapped up in one song. Delicate interludes juxtaposed with hard hitting drums, big guitars and powerful vocals. The track ends with a short piano outro which gives the album a real rounded feel as it returns to where it all began.

I could sit here and throw around metaphors and ridiculously flowery language to explain how I feel about this album but frankly that would be pointless, because it’s simple really. This is a fantastic hard rock record. Actually scratch that, this is a fantastic record full stop. Bands like Martyr De Mona are always walking a tightrope when it comes to albums. The album needs to be hard enough to satisfy the hardest of hard rock fans but there also needs to be an accessibility for the casual listener, and for my money this album delivers just that.

Impera is perfectly balanced; hard hitting, but at the same time understated. Big things were expected from this album and it has delivered on every level. The year may only be three months old but I may well have just reviewed the album of the year.

 

 

 

Album Review: The Sunpilots - King Of The Sugarcoated Tongues

‘Concept prog-rock album’ is a phrase that brings with it a whole load of musical trepidation. The first thing that springs to mind is normally an image of this teenager in their room in the 70’s with the curtains drawn listening to albums that lasted around 9 years, and were so abstract you had to be high on LSD for them to make any sort of sense. I was hoping things had moved on a little bit in the 40 or so years since.

The Sunpilots hail from Sydney Australia and are made up of Raj Silva-Rajah (Vocals) Bob Spencer (Guitar) Tom McGirr (Drums/percussion) and Adil Baktir. (Bass) I think it would be fair to say that they are a little unorthodox, not only in musical style but they are pretty much permanently on tour and have chosen to give their album away for free. Not your average rock band.

King of the Sugarcoated Tongues is a huge, sprawling expanse of a record. You don’t so much listen to it as experience it. It’s a mish-mash of styles and influences. There’s Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, Muse, Justin Hawkins, 60’s and 70’s rock opera all in there, yet it still manages to maintain a real cohesiveness.

The album begins with ‘Prologue: 3 Minutes to Midnight.’ It gets the album off to a great start and somewhat surprisingly to me at least the first half of the song is really quite radio friendly and wouldn’t be out of place on Radio 1. Amongst some impressive guitar work the issue of control is raised and will remain one of the central themes throughout the album as a whole.

The 2^nd and title track begins with a very different style vocal, which changes again for the 2^nd half of the song with Sila-Rajah moving into Justin Hawkins territory. (Think ‘Love on the Rocks with No Ice’ by The Darkness) Each song is both lyrically and musically multi-layered, there is a lot going on and it may take a couple of listens to really take it all in.

‘Chapter II: The Captain’ is the longest track on the album and is arguably one of the deepest. It’s clear at this point that the album is one of those where you the listener can interpret it in many different ways. But there do seem to be some key central themes like machines and control and on this song in particular the human race’s search for a saviour. ‘Here’s a magical mystery man with a cure for prescriptions across the land; There’s a pill for whatever you have planned.’ I think this quote sums up those themes quite well. The band of course could tell me that all of this is total rubbish but this is my interpretation.

And if that wasn’t enough deep thinking for you the band take aim at religion and war on ‘Chapter III: God Science.’ ‘People were running, and pointing to the sky while men wearing velvet were relaying instructions from up high; and sending their soldiers into battle for ignorance and pride.’ I think that explains that one!

‘Chapter IV: Sex and TV’ is slower and more methodical than much of what went before it. The track still packs a kick however with the brilliant line ‘Blissful confusion prescribed by the state.’ In this day and age where people are now more aware of things like state control and to some degree political propaganda I think that line is particularly apt.

The brilliantly intricate intro of ‘Chapter V: Rain’ for me is definitely one of the high points of the album, it just fits perfectly. However the track as a whole just leaves me wanting more and is a little bit disappointing as I feel you are waiting for it to really kick into gear but it doesn’t really go anywhere.

The penultimate track ‘Chapter VI: The Piper’s Mirror’ sees the band return to a more up tempo style with more energy, this is The Sunpilots doing what they do best. This feel continues into the final instalment ‘Chapter VII: Exodus’ which provides a great end to the album. There is revolution, redemption and the correcting of mistakes, and all of these things serve to round everything off very well. Giving the story of the record its ending and chance to go out in a ball of flames.

King of The Sugarcoated Tongues may not be the most conventional album or easiest to really get into for a casual listener but it is without doubt a very good record. With each listen you will pick up something that you missed previously, and because of this it requires you to really listen to get full enjoyment from every track. This is something music has moved away from in recent years by trying to cater towards the lowest common denominator but this is a welcome return to a bygone era.

Multi layered and multi-faceted, this is certainly an album that deserves your attention. 

Throwback Thursday: Kid Rock - American Badass

In terms of musical integrity Kid Rock will never be up there with Hendrix, and yeah it’s fashionable to just hate on the guy for the fact his style was a bit weird and he’s white and rapped a bit. BUT I don’t care what anyone says this is a kick ass record. The type of tune where you hit play and get that walk on like ‘Yeah I run this ish...’ (Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about)

Back in the day I had a serious love of wrestling  and this was the theme music for The Undertaker, and that’s where I first heard it and I just loved it ever since. The song takes a lot of the instrumental structure from Metallica ‘Sad But True’ which is another track I think it just pure class.

You can call this a guilty pleasure or whatever you want but I know for a fact there will be loads of you of my generation listening to this and bopping your old school wrestling nostalgia filled head. Go on don’t be shy.

Gia Valentina. Debut Single - No More (Review)

Over the weekend I got sent a link to a demo from a band that I had never heard of. In this line of work there is frankly nothing unusual about that, but unlike half the demos that I hear there was something that caught my attention. I couldn’t put a finger on it but there was just something. That band whose demo I get linked to was Gia Valentina and here is my review of their debut single.

Gia Valentina are a 6 piece rock band from Coatbridge in Scotland. The band is made up of Steven Warnock on vocals, John McArthur and Ciaran Febers on guitar, Andrew Tracey on bass, drummer Anton Lafferty and Amy Louise Robertson on keyboards and backing vocals. They put together their first demo on January of 2013 and are currently signed to Cave Wall Records.

This is their debut single taken from their forthcoming debut album which is slated for release on 30^th May. There is also a video for the track, shot and directed by Paddy Gordon.

This is all well and good, but as always will count for absolutely nothing if the music is terrible. But you can put those fears to one side, this track delivers. If you’re a fan of melody driven rock (like me) then it is everything that you want it to be.

The intro is brilliantly bassy and brilliantly deep. At this point you could be forgiven for thinking it was about to launch into a dance tune. But just as you’re expecting a synth to come floating in you get hit with a brilliant riff instead, building the track up a little bit more.

The main part of the song kicks in now with an almost haunting vocal coming in before giving way to a more traditional rock sound. The track skips along nicely into a great guitar led break down before really going up a gear, or should I say down. All of a sudden everything gets a whole lot heavier, and the track winds to a close in a way very reminiscent to early Muse.

‘No More’ has a bit of everything. The musicianship is great, the vocal is brilliantly dexterous, and the progressions from bass intro, to melody driven rock, to the heavier section at the end are fantastic. As a lead single it is perfect, there is plenty of replay value, and will leave you wanting to hear the rest of the album.

The acid test for me is always ‘would I pay to buy this record?’ And the answer is a resounding yes. This is melodic rock but not quite as you know it.

 

 

EP Review: Khaos Theory - Primevil Elements

As you will have seen last week my musical adventures took me to Asylum in Birmingham where I reviewed Out Of Sanity. Well one of the other big things to come out of that little mission was seeing and then meeting Khaos Theory. The upshot of all this is that I have spent the last week listening to their current EP ‘Primevil Elements’ to give you my thoughts on it and I shall be bringing you a review of their brand new record when it surfaces in a few weeks’ time.

After a bit of a rubbish week or so this EP has reminded me why I love my job. 11 Days ago I had never even heard of Khaos Theory, I knew nothing about them or their music, but now I’ve had them on repeat for a week and can’t wait to hear their new record. It seems 11 days is a long time in the world of music.

So ‘Primevil Elements’…  All hyperbole to one side, this is a fantastic record. The main EP is 4 tracks and then because they must have been in a good mood at the time we get 3 acoustic bonus tracks.

Opening track ‘Fall Back Down’ is a brilliant opening song and shows you exactly what the band are all about. It’s all high energy and menacing vocals. The acoustic style breakdown part way in before the guitars thunder back in is a great addition and the Black Sabbath style progressions enhance the song massively.

In contrast to the mayhem at the end of the opener ‘Take A Shot’ begins in quite haunting fashion. The subdued guitar work, thudding drums and sinister vocal give the track a totally different feel. However when it does really kick into gear it is more of the same uncompromising rock which is fast becoming the bands signature sound. The main riff is fantastic and once again the breakdown 3 minutes in works perfectly. The band list Shinedown and Metallica as a couple of their influences and you can really hear that here. The vocal in particular is a real blend of Brent Smith and James Hetfield, the drums also appear to be Metallica inspired.

‘Burn Away’ is probably the most radio friendly track on the record and to my ear would definitely be the ‘single.’ (The track has received airplay on BBC Hereford and Worcester) It is very much toned down compared to the opening 2 tracks but the band makes sure they still manage to get in a brilliant wall of noise towards the end.

Final track ‘Dismay’ sees the band return to what brought them to the dance. (No J.R) It’s just huge, brilliantly powerful and totally uncompromising. It is a fine end to what is ultimately a fine record.

As I mentioned at the jump there are 3 acoustic bonus tracks, and they are ‘Goodbye (For Now)’ ‘Find The Light’ and ‘Live A Lie.’ I was a bit sceptical when I saw that there also acoustic tracks because often they represent nothing but an overindulgence by the band, and add nothing to the EP as a whole. But thankfully that really isn’t the case here. The tracks in question demonstrate a different side to the band, showing that there is far more to these guys than first meets the eye. My favourite being ‘Goodbye (For Now)’ which is impressively touching without trying too hard.

As I said all in all this is a brilliant effort. My only slight criticism is the lack of a real killer hook, that the more casual listener can grab hold of. However, this is just a minor criticsim and shouldn’t detract from what is a very impressive record. It gets better with every listen and my favourite track changed almost daily, which I think shows the real depth here. I can give no higher recommendation than to say that if you call yourself a rock fan you really should give these guys a listen. Like… Now.

Face Of A Stranger Live @ Slade Rooms - 14th March

 

Sometimes this job is all about being in the right place at the right time. You could be the best writer in the world but if you miss ‘that’ night or ‘that’ band then frankly you’re nothing. And last July I got very lucky because that was the day that I first encountered Face Of A Stranger. The journey since has taken in many stages, many different faces and many more different beers, and all leading to the Slade Rooms on the night of 14^th March 2014.

They were providing the main support to the highly rated Slam Cartel so there was an opportunity to make a real impression. I had heard that the band had been busy getting their set down for this and there had been a bit of a reshuffle of the set list, they weren’t leaving anything to chance.

The first thing I actually notice is not what is happening on the stage but what is happening around me. The room has filled up dramatically and the bar is empty. In contrast to the other bands on the bill up to this point things got started in a far more deliberate and moody fashion. The opening melody to ‘Violet’ gives way to the sound of powerful guitars and powerful vocals and we are no underway. The track is far from a ballad but the lyrics will almost certainly strike a chord with many in the audience.

‘Shutting Me Down’ has been a staple of the bands set for some time now but never disappoints. The Nirvana style intro is greeted by silence by those in attendance as they take it all in. It has to be said that although I have been critical of the sound at some of their more recent performances the duelling sound coming from the guitars of Pagett and Lewis sound thick and totally on point tonight.

The bridge from ‘Shutting Me Down’ straight into ‘Swallowing Grenades’ is not something that I have seen them do before but it works fantastically well. The band are in brilliant form with frontman Mitch Jones looking really relaxed and confident in his and the bands abilities.

Next up is the epic ‘Broken Words.’ I really don’t use the word epic lightly; the track it isn’t so much a song as an adventure through sound. The intro is a bass solo (Something too many bands are afraid to do in my opinion) which leads into almost a marching drum beat. The rest of the track is filled with emotion, Black Sabbath style phases, false finishes and even a ‘scream’ vocal giving the song a definite edge compared to some of their other material. It isn’t the most instant of songs probably due to the sheer length of it, but it is definitely a ‘grower.’ It was also announced that the band will be heading into the studio in the near future to record the track so make sure you listen out for that.

The penultimate song of the night from the Black Country based outfit was fan favourite ‘The Road.’ The crowd really get involved here as they can be heard singing along like they are watching Queen back in their Wembley heyday, it really is something to behold. The songs signature guitar solo was greeted with enthusiastic cheers. Any sceptics had been well and truly converted.

‘In My Veins’ brought the set to a close in typically hard rocking fashion. The drums form almost a hip hop style beat driving the song forwards with the rest of the band giving their all in unison. As the sound of a classic rock finish faded into the air all that was left were cheers.

The band had done what every support act aims to do. Make themselves impossible to follow. As the headliners took the stage cheers could be heard all round, but those cheers weren’t deafening and the room had emptied noticeably. Everyone knew they had seen a performance that wouldn’t be bettered, and there can be no higher praise than that.

All photos shot by the fantastic Justclairephotography

Almost Easy Live @ Slade Rooms - 14th March 2014

It might not come as much of a surprise to you to know that I have attended quite a few gigs in my time. But some just feel different. I know that most of you reading this know exactly what I mean. From the drive there to walking through the doors at the venue, there is something in the back of your mind saying ‘I’m going to see something brilliant tonight.’ On my shofar driven journey (I say shofar… my brother drove us, but still, artistic licence and all that) to the Slade Rooms I had that feeling.

I had only seen Almost Easy once before last night, and that was in a cramped corner of a pub in Dudley with a dodgy floor. So as much as I taken by them that night this was going to be the first time that I saw them perform at a proper gig, so was very much looking forward to it.

The set kicked off in brilliantly up tempo fashion with ‘Dark Side Woman’ the title track from the bands current EP. The song has taken on another dimension since the recording as the vocal has gone down a notch or two, but for me this really adds to the song leaving it sounding better than I ever heard it before. The band look right at home and their energy is fantastic.

Somehow things were kicked up a gear for ‘Set In Stone’ which is in short drum smashing, guitar thrashing chaos. It was an all-out musical assault, which fired straight into ‘Lost.’ It may have only been the 3^rd song of the gig but I can say without exaggeration that it was one of the highlights of the entire night. Guitarist Adam Saunders really comes to the fore with a Randy Rhodes inspired solo, to start things off, while he uses the rest of the song as a dance floor to carve his guitar playing talents all over.

‘Out Of Me’ and ‘Still Remains’ are characterised by their sheer brutishness. The vocal from frontman David Saunders just growls over the top of the thundering rhythm that is hammering the songs forwards. There’s head banging and hair flying everywhere and that’s just on stage.

The next track ‘Mouth Full Of Cash,’ for me just sums up the entire performance. There’s energy and charisma in spades, and a very very well drilled band at the top of their game.  Drums, bass, guitars are totally on point.

The set has absolutely flown by and those who have arrived early doors have been given a real treat but the band were not quite done yet…

‘Take It Away’ fills the room with a sound that you can feel coming through the floor, it’s just about as heavy as it gets. And the band’s finale ensured that they went out with a bang. The best way I can describe ‘Circus Of The Dead’ is ‘Sabbath like.’ And I mean that as the highest compliment. It’s a relentless march of a song, crashing symbols and a passionate vocal. Topped off quite superbly by A. Saunders playing part of the solo behind his head and I mean ‘playing’ not just twanging the same two chords over n over for 10 seconds. It was a brilliant end to what had been a fantastic opening set.

Tonight was a perfect demonstration of why I think Almost Easy are one of the best up and coming young bands around. They can rock any stage now and trust me there is so much more to come. They are only young guys, but they are seriously dedicated to their craft and on the rise. They may well have been the opening band on this night, but I have no doubt that headline status awaits.

 

 

All photos shot by the brilliantly talented Justclairephotography.

 

 

Throwback Thursday: Tenacious D - Tribute

It was never a number 1, it wasn’t even released in the UK but everyone knows that this record is a classic. Brought to you by Jack Black and Kyle Glass, it features an appearance in the video from none other than Dave Grohl. He also plays drums on the track.

If you like this I would also recommend that you check out ‘The devil went down to Georgia’ by the Charlie Daniels Band. It’s basically where the idea for the song came from and is a brilliant song in its own right. Look I’ve even linked it for you!

 

 

 

 

Out Of Sanity Live @ Asylum 2 - 7th March

Being the professional that I am I arrived at the gig bang on ‘doors.’ I then did what every self-respecting journalist would do in this situation and head to the bar. I still haven’t got used to paying 3 quid for a Carlsberg but what can you do. That is quite literally the price that I must pay for my profession and your reading pleasure ladies and gentlemen. I wonder if I can claim that back on my tax return?

Anyway, last night I shelled out that 3 quid for a beer for very good reason. This was the night when
Out Of Sanity were due to play their first ever headline set. I have seen them twice before and regular readers will know that I rate them, like really rate them. So it’s safe to say that I was expecting fireworks.

The lights dimmed.

The set erupted into life as the mighty opening chords of ‘Destroy Your Captor’ reverberated round the room. It sounds like a 300 mph journey through the mind of a mad man. The solo is simply sublime; it was to be the first of many.

‘Blind’ is deliciously heavy, a real ‘cut yourself a slice’ of heavy rock. The Thin Lizzy inspired ‘This Is The Time’ sees the band enter more traditional rock territory, not that this is any way a bad thing. There is plenty more to this band than just crashing and screaming. Having said all of that the next song was about as heavy as it gets.

‘Call to Arms’ is the most fitting title for a song that I have heard for some time. This is Black Sabbath turned all the way up, the soundtrack to impending doom. Go back to your homes people because the end is nigh. The addition of a metal ‘scream’ type vocal also comes to the fore here and fits the mood perfectly.

I have already mentioned above that there was a hint of Thin Lizzy in one of their previous tracks, well there was more than a hint here as the band covers ‘Don’t Believe A Word.’ In a slightly strange twist I was actually listening to this song on the way to the gig, having seen them cover this before and once again it didn’t disappoint. It was brilliantly put together with the guitar solo in particular being totally on point.

Up next was a track called ‘Ancient Times.’ The opening riff is dirtier than that one night stand you wish you’d have kept in touch with. It’s just insane. I wasn’t sure it was possible but the band then managed to kick things up another gear. ‘Beneath The Ground’ is a triumph of pure energy and noise over finesse, but a clever little breakdown part way through demonstrates that the band really know how to put together a song.

On stage the band look incredibly calm and composed, it’s hard to believe that the ridiculous levels of noise you can hear are coming from them. ‘The Rebel’ is led forward by a riff which sounds like what would happen if 70’s glam rock had a child with Metallica. The stunningly intricate guitar solo dances over the top of the main crescendo, weaving wonderful patterns along the way. But, the main feature of this song has to be the breakdown, which featured some pretty interesting dance moves not only from the audience but from the band themselves… I’m really not sure how it to sum those moves up in all honesty.

‘Over The Top’ sees the band in their best Motorhead guise smashing through the next 3 and a half minutes or so with a relentless aggression which rocks the room. It isn’t just me who is impressed the audience are all head-bobbing, with a couple of them indulging in some piggy back assisted head banging, which I have to be honest is a new one on me!

There was now chance for a brief period of rest bite while the band tuned their guitars down a notch. The silence was filled by some marriage threatening ad libs from frontman Brad Weston, until the rest of the band kicked in with the next track to save him from a night on the sofa.

Did I mention the guitars had been tuned down? Man alive it was deep. ‘Take This Life’ was a perfect demonstration of why I rate this band so highly. In my mind when seeing a band perform live they have to make you feel something and make you believe in what they are playing. And that is certainly the case here, if you couldn’t feel the passion in this track then there is something seriously wrong with you.

The band brought down the curtain on what had been a quite sensational performance by treating those in attendance to a brand new song. In short it’s classic Out Of Sanity. Drums, guitars, bass, all just huge and shake you to your boots, while the vocal fires over the top. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing this one again in the future.

But for now that was to be it. The 45 minutes is up and the smoke machine has pretty much rendered half of the stage invisible. As the smoke begins to lift all you can hear is the sound of cheering and the brilliant sound of a crowd who have enjoyed their night. And up on the stage Out Of Sanity stand and take it all in, cool calm and collected as always, safe in the knowledge that they just rocked the place. Fantastic.

NEW MUSIC: Face Of A Stranger - Violet (Review)

I have to be honest with you people out there in there in reader-land, I’ve had better days. When your car tax needs renewing and for 6 months it costs more than it does to tax your brother’s car for a year you know you’re not going to have a good day. In addition to this I can also reveal that I am now speaking to you as a single man.  Like I said, not the best day of my life by any stretch of the imagination.

Anyway, there has been one little ray of sunshine and that is the release of a new Face Of A Stranger track. If you have followed this blog for any length of time you will know how highly I rate these guys, and as far as I’m concerned this track only serves to prove me right.

‘Violet’ has been a staple of their live set for as long as I can remember and I must confess it is one of my personal favourites. If you’re a FAOS fan this ticks all the boxes and if you’re new to them there is plenty to wrap your ears round. Nirvana-esque intro, layered vocals amongst other tricks and wizardry, hammering guitars perfectly on point drums and that now signature hard hitting sound. Oh and it might not be a ballad but listen to the lyrics… trust me.

The highest compliment I can pay this tune is that even today it made me bob my head and raise a smile. The Face Of A Stranger juggernaut thunders on.

 You can hear the track here -

https://soundcloud.com/faceofastranger

If you like what you hear you can catch the band live next Friday when they will be supporting the mighty Slam Cartel at Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton. Get in touch with the band for all the ticket info.

EP Review: No More Numbers - Smethwick Seditions. WORLD EXCLUSIVE

The first time that I listened to this record all the way through I really didn’t know what to make of it, and that my friends is a brilliant thing. Normally when reviewing a song, album or whatever I like to try and give the reader a bit of a clue as to whether this is the sort of thing that they will like, you know the usual, ‘it’s heavy rock and they sound a bit like….’ But this time I really can’t do it. It’s not punk, it’s not rock and it’s not grunge… it’s just No More Numbers.

‘Smethwick Seditions’ is the follow up to the bands 2012 effort ‘Bad Decision, Bad Ending, Bad Playing’ and it really is a quite unique record. Not unique as in a bit weird but I need to say something nice about it. But unique as in, this really isn’t the type of record that you get to hear these days and what a damn shame that is.

The EP opens with the politically fuelled ‘Each Time I Deny Them.’ There has been much gnashing of teeth and lamenting of the supposed lack of ‘punk spirit,’ in recent years but I’m proud to announce ladies and gentlemen that I’ve found it. The intro to the track serves as a brilliant opening to the album as a whole with the band making their intentions clear. Lyrically we get ‘The politicians lie, and so we send our children to die.’ Politically motivated…? Just a bit.

‘My Cause is Revenge,’ continues the political theme and confirms my suspicions that this record would be right at home in 1977, and you can’t help but notice that at times the vocal from frontman Mike Gregory lends a real resemblance to a certain Mr Johnny Rotten. No airs and no graces here.

If there was to be a single from this project then it would be this track ‘Downward Spiral.’ One of the things that I love about this song and one of the things that I love about the band as a whole is the level of self-depreciation. The opening line on the bands Facebook page reads, ‘We think we’re good, but nobody likes us’ and that spirit can be found on this track with the brilliant line ‘Another misunderstanding, romantic crash landing, that’s the story of my life.’ Very simple, but very effective, every man and his dog know that feeling.

‘Victory’ is probably the heaviest song on the album and like ‘Downward Spiral’ it is a little bit more refined that the first two tracks. I say refined, in the same way that being punched in the face is a bit more refined than being hit in the face with a brick. The anger has subsided a little here but we aren’t quite into pop ballad territory just yet.

The penultimate track ‘Dismorphia’ sees the band return to their punk roots and the sound that served them so well on their debut. Speedy riffs layered over crashing drums batter you for four and a half minutes culminating in a nice little guitar solo, showing a slightly different side to the band. They might be annoyed at the system but they can still put together a ‘proper’ rock ending.

The album draws to a close with a track called ‘They Say Its Chemical,’ a track which I think sums up the band quite nicely. It almost seems to act as a summary, everyman lyrics, nice bass riff and crashing drums. And that right there is the beauty of what is simply a great little record.

I opened this review by saying that I didn’t really know what to make of this EP, but after countless listens and scribbled note taking, it has finally come to me. It sounds like Smethwick. This record perfectly sums up and reflects its origins, and in my book this is a very underrated quality. In this part of the world people are angry with the government, the system and have a real gift for being able to laugh at themselves and this is exactly what this record does. It’s full of quotable lines, slick riffs and an undying underdog spirit. And who doesn’t love and underdog?

On The Flip Side: The Brilliant Side To The Local Music Scene

Last week I wrote what was probably the most negative blog I have ever written in my life. I just felt a few things needed to be said and a few people needed to be called out for the BS that they are pulling on a daily basis. As a journalist and as a blogger if I’m not going to say something and out these views out there then who the hell will? And in the end I had such positive feedback I feel vindicated in my ranting. Anyway, those who got slapped deserved it.

As I explained at the time though there is a lot more to the scene than what I ranted about last week and as result I feel I should balance things out a little bit.

Like I said last week there are some seriously talented people out there who are currently killing the scene down here. There are some brilliant bands, venues, promoters and bloggers doing some serious work and you know what I think it’s time they got some shine, so here it is.

I am going to start by naming some of the acts that I think you should check out if you get the chance. They can all be found on Facebook and/or Twitter so if you want to know more just look them up. There are also a few of them that I work with and review on a regular basis so keep an eye out for that if something gets your attention.

Right here are a few names for you… Face Of A Stranger, Out Of Sanity, Almost Easy, No More Numbers, The Crimson Star, The Unchanged and Jackson Jones. This is by no means any sort of definitive list, just the names of a few personal favourites.

I also want to give a special mention to Martyr De Mona. They are on the verge of something pretty big right now. In recent times they have supported none other than Black Sabbath and are about to release a new album produced by Romesh Dodangoda who has worked with Motorhead amongst others. Seriously talented band.

And who are the people giving all this talent a platform I hear you ask? Well I’ll tell you. On the promotion side we have Hils Ovation. If an act is worth hearing they will appear on one of her shows. Check her out on Facebook to get all the latest news etc. Also on a smaller scale there’s Brierley Hill Rock bar, who are doing their best to give bands a chance to perform and showcase themselves. Again look them up on Facebook.

Now being a blogger I think it would be pretty poor form of me to not give a shout out to someone from my own field. So that person is Rebecca Winfield over at RAW Music Online. There are some really good things going on over there, reviews, interviews it’s all there. You know what to do.

I know for many of you I will be preaching to the converted, you know that the local scene in the Midlands and especially the West Midlands is absolutely buzzing right now. But without people going to shows, supporting bands, checking reviews etc the whole thing would fall apart. To a certain extent all of the people mentioned above (Including myself) rely on you, the music fan. So do what you do best, support local talent and support local music. The sky’s the limit.