Reviews

Billy Talent – The Ex

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This track has a lot of bite to it – Billy Talent are quite an immense rock band with tremendous fire power and are easily able to please. It is not surprising to see the sort of reviews that this band have got – they are all very upbeat and praise the band strongly which is really not surprising due to the superb quality of the band.

This track has been taken from their self titled album and will most certainly rock your socks. With crazy drum beats, brilliant guitar riffs, burbling bass lines, and vocals with more bite than a rabid rotweiler the band are sure to put a smile on your face and have a new fan under their wings. This is an amazingly good track on this promotional CD- it really does promote the band as it has opened my eyes to just how good this band really are. It is no surprise to see the band on such a high calibre label as they have tremendous style and playing ability. I really enjoyed listening to this band and would second the Metal Hammer comment ‘Worthy of your immediate, undivided attention.’ This band really are something special but you have to hear it to believe it – you will not fully appreciate just how special the band are until you have heard their superb music. The beat to this music is such a driving one – it is terrific, you just have to love it – it is fact paced rock mayhem from the band and is extremely pleasing to the ear. I love the vocalist of this band – he has such defining characteristics and his voice is just something out of this world – it really is pure quality and I really cant describe it in any other way than pure genius. The vocals are what make this track so special – without these amazing vocals then chances are that Billy Talent would merely be another face in the crowd, but thanks to the vocalists raw talent the band are really shown up to be something special and worthy of anyone’s time.

Check out Billy Talent if you are a fan of any sort of rock music as they really are an amazing band that are definitely deserving of at least a couple of minutes of your time. Make sure you check out this band and remember to head on down to their website www.billytalent.com at some point as they really are a hella cool band and if you miss out on this band then you really are missing out on something quite seriously special.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Best Left Dead – Demo

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Best Left Dead are a four piece band from God knows where playing a mixture of Old School Punk and Metal and I must say that it is sounding mighty fine from where I’m standing! I had not heard of the band before I got this little baby free (e-mail best_left_dead@yahoo.com for your copy now) but was very pleased with what I heard when I put the CD on for the first time, and after many a listen I am now writing this here review.

This is a four track CD, with the fourth track on the CD being an awesome cover of ‘Puff (the magic dragon.) They also up three originals, which will blow you away with their power, flair, and pure style. Right from the word go you can tell that they are not a band who take themselves way too seriously, proclaiming ‘Lockup your daughters we’re Best Left Dead.’ This track is an awesome affair of Rock ‘n’ Roll greatness with some fast drumming, nifty bass lines, ace guitar licks, and astonishing vocals. Right from the offset there is something to rave about with this wonderful band, and the talent is kept up throughout the record resulting in one of the best Demo’s that I have heard for a long time. All of the songs show such skill, and have such a raw edge – this is a CD that really makes you want to go and see the band live as the live feel is captured here on CD and it is immense!

My favourite of the 4 tracks has to be the third track, ‘Summer’s over’ as this is just such an amazing song with some really great driving guitar riffs. The vocals are so good on this track, really shining through in an Old School Metal kind of fashion – this band are really great at what they do and the music which they create is really interesting to listen to – this track in particular as it is just so raw, quite obviously recorded just as it would be played live. The band show off so much talent on this CD and seem to be really experienced musicians at what they are doing.

This is a great CD which I advise you all to get as you definitely wont be disappointed with what you hear – this band really have a knack for what they do, creating a Demo of pure finesse. I certainly wont be forgetting the ‘Puff (the magic dragon)’ cover in a while – that’s for sure! Check out the band at their site people and see about getting the CD now!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Funeral For A Friend – Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Funeral For A Friend are a band that unless you’ve been living under a large rock for the last couple of months, you probably will have heard of. They are a quintet from South Wales and provide their own take on intelligent, Emotional Hardcore. It is intelligent as the songs are well structured, with everything carefully thought through, and everything manufactured to perfection, from the clear, undistorted vocals right down to the clean guitars and drum beats. Their sound is well produced and this is no major surprise considering the fact that they are now signed to Warner.

It is not my favourite thing when major labels tweak and refine bands music so much so that it barely sounds like the band at all, in a vain attempt to shift a few more copies – but I found myself really enjoying this CD and really getting in to it. It is an intensely emotional affair with the band really spilling their heart in to it, but at the same time it also has a great power to it with some of the vocals coming firing through in an almost hardcore fashion. They are an Emotional Hardcore band but have a hell of a lot of firepower and with this album are really pushing the fact forward.

Stand out tracks on the CD are obviously the extremely carefully chosen singles that are ‘She Drove Me To Daytime Television’ and ‘Juneau.’ These tunes are the perfect example of the sorts of tunes that you want to be releasing as singles when you are on a major label – they have the fire power to attract the Rock audience but at the same time have the pop sensibilities to attract a more mainstream, single buying public. I am actually quite a fan of these tunes, as I have seen how far the band have taken the tunes from the EPs with a re-make of original tune ‘Juno’ from the Between Order And Model CD being renamed to ‘Juneau’ to fit the new sound for the album and the original version of ‘She Drove Me To Daytime Television’ which was first released on the ‘Four Ways To Scream Your Name’ EP. I was proud to consider myself a fan of both of these CDs after I had heard them and these two tracks were ones that really appealed to my taste at the time. It is not until you are a fan of the originals that you can really begin to appreciate the brilliance of the production and work that has gone in to changing them both. I may not be a fan of Major’s, but they sure do have what it takes to refine and tweak a song in order to turn it in to something that a mass audience can enjoy and also appreciate.

Funeral For a Friend’s ‘Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation’ – same band, better production. That’s pretty much all there is to it – with a bit of modern technology, a fairly unknown, underground Emotional Hardcore outfit have been turned in to the next big thing.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Bedford Falls Demo

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This is a 2 track Demo CD from the South Wales band that is Bedford Falls. They play chilled out rock music that is sure to put a smile on your face with its unique and exciting style. These guys sure know how to pen a fine tune and as a result have come out on top with these 2 blinding tracks which show tremendous style, and immense flair.

This band has a great talent for what they do – this is shown with these two excellently produced tunes of Rock supremacy. They have some awesome vocals, strong bass lines, firing guitar riffs and smash heavy drumming. This is what I like to be listening to as it chills you out and sounds cool at the same time – perfect for any occasion/mood. I love the way that the second track, ‘Wire Act’ kicks off as it is such a chilled out beat that conveys fun and excitement for music. When you are listening to a band it is always good to hear that they are having just as much fun playing the song as you’re having listening to it – if they’re not then you begin to question why they’re making the music that they are. Bedford Falls sound very much laid back indeed, keeping a good, strong beat at all times and never going out of tune.

If it is excitement that you are looking for then this band will more than likely provide for you – I felt that the music which they have created here was very laid back indeed giving off nothing but positive vibes. These are tunes that will cheer you up if you are depressed, or keep you cheerful when you’re happy. This band really can’t be knocked for what they are doing as it is definitely verging on perfect with happy times being had by all. The mood has certainly been set and is set permanently on ‘happy times’! I love the way that the vocalist here stays calm and collective at all times and never loses his cool – an extremely talented man that does not need to break into hardcore just to grab your attention – the sheer power of his voice alone will do that!

This is definitely a group of extremely talented musicians, and they all sound like they are having the time of their lives – it is great stuff, it truly is. If you are fond on Rock music and are willing to check out something that is refreshing, laid back, and heavily chilled out then make sure you check out Bedford Falls as they are the perfect band to listen to after a stressful day in order to clear your head of all things bad. I will be looking forward to hearing more stuff by these guys as after listening to this CD I was smiling from ear to ear and it left me wishing that it was more than just a two track Demo CD. If they can leave you feeling chilled out after a mere 2 tracks – think what they could do with a whole album! Inspiring stuff – its music like this that’s the reason you started a band in the first place!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

The Erin Bardwell Collective Volume 1

June 5, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This has been released on Pop-A-Top Records, a collection of songs written and performed by ex More Specials front man Erin Bardwell. It is an awesome little Ska/Reggae album which will definitely get you up on your feet skanking to the mellow, chilled out vibes that it has to offer.

Erin Bardwell is an extremely respected man and you only have to look at this collection to see why – these are amazingly produced Ska/Reggae songs which are sure to calm you down after a hard days work as when you are listening to them you can just imagine being on a far away, tropical island with the sun on the skin and your feet in the sea – it is pure and utter bliss. There are 13 great songs on display here, some having a more Reggae feel to them and some with a distinct skanking Ska sound to them – and whatever the sound is, it is performed to perfection by the man himself, Erin Bardwell. It is not just the music that is good, the lyrics are also expertly produced with deep meaning to them and great significance. If you are a fan of this style of music then you will definitely be in to this CD as it is performed with great style, passion, and flair – and this makes way for one of the greatest Ska/Reggae CDs that I have ever heard, and believe me – I have heard a fair few! It is just so chilled out that it is unbelievable, if you have any problems in the world – when you listen to this you will literally feel them just float away and this is a great feeling indeed! ‘Connection’ is an absolutely blinding tune and if you do not check out the whole CD then just make sure you listen to this one somehow as it is verging on legendary with its chilled out and laid back approach that will have you dancing the night away.

This is definitely one of the Ska/Reggae releases of the year and if I gave CDs ratings then this one would definitely be getting a 10/10 right about now! Everything about this CD is totally spot on and this is as clear as day to anyone – even if you are not a fan of the Ska/Reggae style then you can probably still see that this man has a hell of a lot of talent and has bag loads to offer. I was aware that he had been in The More Specials but did not realise that the man had this much talent and when the CD started playing I really did have a smile on my face right up until the moment that it stopped.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Electric Eel Shock – Do The Metal

June 5, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This is a three track single from the Japanese masters of metal Electric Eel Shock and with this mighty single the band show off some more of their near on perfect Metal/Rock ‘n Roll tunes.

All three of these tracks are of an extremely high standard and from these tunes it is easy to see why Kerrang have given them three 5/5 Live rating in a row. They are definitely going to make it big and my guess is that it won’t be long before they do as with this single they are sure to hit the masses in some form or another and the public would be dumb not to take notice of them with the standard of this single. The tune which is the single track, ‘Do The Metal’ is a cool tune with some great lyrics and amazing vocals but my favourite of the three on display is ‘Japanese Meets Chinese In USA’ by far as it is just such a cool tune with some storming bass lines, firing guitar riffs, fast drumming and amazing vocals. This is a really strong tune and although all three of these are of an extremely high standard, I just feel that this one has more power and energy than the other two and that is what made it stand out to me as being better than the rest.

If you are a fan of the Metal / Heavy Rock kind of genre then make sure you check this band out as they have so much talent that it is unbelievable! I am sure that they will be big before the year is out – maybe even before the end of the month, they are that good. I now consider myself to be a strong fan of this band as what they do is absolutely brilliant and personally I love it. I wish that their could be more bands as exciting as these guys as there are a lot of boring bands around that are popular and don’t deserve to be – if these guys get popular they will deserve every minute of it!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Monkey Scrub Demo

June 5, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This is a 3 track Demo from the 6 piece Ska band that is Monkey Scrub – and what a hell of a demo it is indeed! This Bristol band sure know how to kick out a fine tune as with this CD they have kicked out 3 whole gems – not a single failing tune, with all three showing great promise and intelligence.

There are 3 extremely strong tunes here with ‘Swing No.1,’ ‘Make Your Move,’ and ‘…….Chips!’ all proving to be of a fantastically high standard and containing some extremely strong material. There is an amazing horn section here, some strong bass lines, firing guitar riffs, fast paced drumming, and some truly outstanding vocals showing off some extremely fine tones. ‘Make Your Move’ is almost a Skacore tune in the way of vocals with the singer here powering them out and putting out an extremely Farse influenced sound. You can tell that there is definitely a Farse influence on this one as there is even the same tongue rolling vocals as used by the Farse main man Ollie – but you can also tell that they are much more than just a Farse rip off as they have really made the tune in to their own with the strength which it contains and the power which comes across in their music.

My favourite of the three tracks is probably ‘…….Chips!’ as it has an amazing horn section, an awesomely strong drum beat, the bass lines are being pounded out, the guitar playing is spot on and the vocals are just absolutely perfect. This is an all around stunner with the great talent which they show off in their music and is quite a heavy tune with a great instrumental bit at the end which will really get your feet tapping, your head nodding, and have you skanking up the walls! The more you listen to this song, the more you begin to appreciate it and realise what an amazing tune it is – an absolute classic in my humble opinion!

So, three tunes on display here of crazy Ska antics, with some awesome lyrics which show that their music goes a lot deeper than just sounding great – it has meaning as well! I have not had a Ska CD for a while and then all of a sudden, I have two in my grasp – what a great week this has been! If you are a fan of Ska, or Punk for that matter make sure you check this band out as they are well worth your time – I promise you this!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Lavos Demo

June 5, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Lavos are a fresh, young stoner rock band hailing from London. They are a three piece and have an average age of just 16 and I must say that for their age they have some considerable talent! Sometimes when bands are quite young you can tell by their sound as it is just not very refined and not usually of a very high standard. This band however have an extremely refined sound, and it seems as though they have been practising hard as it says on the biography that they have played relatively few shows – so this talent must have come from somewhere! It also says that they take influences from bands that are Doom to bands that play Punk and this really comes across in their sound as it is something just a bit different.

There are four songs on display here that show off the bands great musical talent – ‘So Thin,’ ‘Addicted,’ ‘Chill,’ and ‘Crazy (The Speed Boy.)’ The vocals of this band are amazing – they are so strong, full of energy and just pretty much spot on perfect. Dave on vocals obviously has a great talent for singing in this style and I am sure that he will go far – whether it be with this band or another band. He sings well on all of these four tracks with his heavy, powerful voice which conveys much energy. The instrumental side of things is also cool – with strong, fast drumming, some awesome bass lines, and some stunning guitar riffs.

Although they are all good tracks, my favourite of the four is definitely the first track, ‘So Thin,’ as it has so much power and oomph to it. Nothing is perfect – but this band sure comes close with this track! As always – the vocals are spot on and there are some bass lines which really stand out on this one. Good, strong hard bass lines poke their head through and really grab your attention as they are pulled off with great style, passion and flair. The drumming keeps a good beat throughout the course of this track and really works well with the guitars and the vocals. A top tune all around really that really stands high above the rest – and this is no minor feat as the other tracks also have some amazing talent to offer.

So if you are a fan of stoner rock, and are looking for some new and interesting bands to check out – give this band a try as they have a great talent for what they do and still only have an average age of 16. If there are any promoters reading this – get in contact with the band at: lavos_band@hotmail.com as they are looking to play many more shows in the future. Never before have I heard stoner rock played so well and sounding so fine!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Kneehigh – Open Arms

June 5, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Kneehigh are a melodic punk rock band from Norwich that play some amazing tunes of high standard and show great ability from the young band. Their sound is extremely refined and is really good quality – this is not just an average, run of the mill band here – Kneehigh are a band that seem to have something really special going for them. There are nine tracks on display here if you include the bonus track and they are all really cool tunes – showing that the band have a hell of a lot of potential and will probably go on to be one of the leading bands in the UK.

Out of the 9 tunes on display here my favourites would have to be ‘Open Arms,’ ‘October,’ and ‘Hero.’ These are all amazing tunes within their own right and are all extremely different in sound. ‘Open Arms’ is a strengthy opening track for the CD with powering guitar riffs, strong bass lines, hard hitting vocals and good, hard slamming drumming that will have you frantically tapping your feet on the floor and nodding your head to the beat of the music. ‘October’ takes a less hard hitting tone and is a tune which has awesome song writing skills and amazing pop sensibilities. This is the sort of song that would go down well on a Music TV channel as it is expertly written, has a great sing-along factor and is also an intelligent tune that would put a smile on the face of all people that are sick of no talent, no hope bands getting all the press. ‘Hero’ is another favourite of mine because like with ‘Open Arms,’ there are some strong bass lines and fiery guitar riffs that really capture your attention and leave you wishing that the tune could last forever. The drumming is fast paced, has an amazing beat to it and as always the vocals are spot on and pulled off with amazing flair by the singer, Greg. At all times on this track the band sound super slick and their performance is full to the brim with energy. If you like melodic Punk Rock then you will absolutely love ‘Hero’ as it is a superb little number and is possibly one of the greatest tunes of the style which I have ever heard.

Kneehigh may still only be 18 years of age but in their 18 years on this planet they sure have learnt to play their instruments well and are also awesome songwriters. They have a great talent for what they do and I personally think that they will go a long way if they keep writing songs like these and keep up the fabulous work.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Indifference – Born To Be A War Machine

June 5, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This is the long awaited debut EP from Pontypridd’s Metallers, Indifference and is the first CD which they have produced since their amazing introduction Demo which was released in 2002. This new EP shows how far the group have come as a band with five great tracks that are sure to put a smile on your face.

This EP takes a much heavier approach than the Demo and is definitely not for the faint hearted! If you liked the Demo then the likelihood is that you are going to love this – they increased the volume, upped the pace, and most definitely upped the standard! I loved the Demo but this EP totally blew me away – a masterpiece of a CD with so much that you can get from it. All of the songs are of amazing quality with firing guitar riffs, strong bass lines, amazing drum beats, and slamming vocals. If you like Metal at all then you will definitely be down with this CD people – and if you aren’t then quite frankly I don’t want to know you! Metal is something that this South Wales mob have always been good at – with this release showing that they can perform heavy metal just as well as they could do the softer stuff.

The EP seems to gather pace as it goes along – with first track ‘Goodnight’ carrying on from the Demo, sounding like a heavily improved version of ‘King Louis,’ – one of my favourites from the Demo and finishing in style with heavy as song, ‘Sometimes Kings,’ making three stops in between which show off more high standard Metal. ‘Goodnight’ is a good one to start the CD off with I feel as it really works to set the mood with quite a laid back style, and an awesome pause in the middle which really adds to the fun leaving you pleased as hell when it kicks back in to the track. It has a powerful, heavy start but even still is probably the least hardcore of the songs on the CD – which really shows how much the band have upped the tempo, and they have come out smelling of roses! ‘Sometimes Kings’ is a completely different track in style which is heavy all the way through – and shows that the band can work at both sides of the scale and come out with songs which are equally as fantastic. The vocals are absolutely amazing on this track with Chalmers really putting his all in to it! Every ounce of anger that was in the mans body seemed to be going in to these vocals and I am glad he did put so much in to them as it is an outstanding tune with a hell of a lot of flair. Everything about this tune is heavy – heavy guitars, heavy drumming, HEAVY METAL!

This is definitely one of the greatest CDs I have had sent to me in a long time with its fiery energy, great speed, and amazing aggression. The tunes are sure to put a smile on your face if you are a fan of heavy music as heavy is what they do – and heavy is what they do well!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.