Shuriken

Ok, I was really looking forward to listening to this CD but the first time I listened to it I was really quite disappointed. Having been impressed with all of the bands previous material and the way that they have slowly but surely progressed I thought this would be a blinder and I would instantly be hooked! It really did take me a while to get into this CD but after a few weeks hard listening I am really in to this CD now and think it is a quality effort from a band that will surely go far.

You can definitely hear the early Saves The Day influence on this band, but they are individual enough to make them great in their own right and you can really appreciate that this band have slowly evolved into the superb band we see before us today. This CD has very professional artwork to go with a superb quality recording of excellent production that should see them go straight to the top of the scene. No longer are the band using their early Lego style designs – not only has their music matured but their professionalism in CD covers also. This is a mighty fine EP with 6 strong tracks that will most certainly put a smile on your face with their post hardcore greatness. Shuriken are a band who create fun music that is great to dance to and when listening to their CDs you can just imagine them being an extremely energetic and extravagant live band that send everyone home from their gigs with a huge smile on their face.

Opening track ‘The 18th Emergency’ is probably the highlight of the CD for me with its fun punk attitude, great lyrics, and fun vocal style. It has some truly amazing guitar riffs as well – the kind of guitar riffs that make you want to go out and purchase a guitar so you can play them yourself! The acoustic version of ‘Arch Nemesis’ was also a bit of a highlight for me as I had been very pleased with the track on their single, so hearing it again brought back great memories of this amazing track and summers gone by. It really is an awesome track and I like what the band have done with it on this EP. The fact it is acoustic definitely takes nothing away from the track – in fact I think it adds character to the song and makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to.

If you have heard previous material of the band and have been impressed then I strongly suggest that you check out this new CD as it is really something special. This band have come a long way since their early material and although I have loved everything that the band have done in the past, I love this EP a hell of a lot more and feel that the band have come on in leaps and bounds since their early recordings. This EP is definitely something to get excited about and is a vital CD for your collection – you can rest assured that this will be played many a time in the future. Do yourself a favour and buy this CD today – I promise you won’t be disappointed with what you hear!

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Ah the post arrived on a wonderfully sunny morning and I was graced with a brand new Shuriken release – excellent I thought. So I headed over to my CD player and shoved it straight in to the CD changer to review it!

Track 1 kicks off, it is an upbeat Emo Punk song called ‘Deflector Shields Down’ and as per usual the lyrics are extremely melodic and upbeat. The drumming is strong here and the Guitar’s are kicking out some awesome riffs so I can see why the band chooses to open their set with this one – it is very upbeat and I can imagine it getting everyone up on their feat and moving. Track 2, ‘Reaction Time’ begins with some fast drumming and interesting Guitar riffs. The vocals on this song are more poppy on this than the others yet they remain melodic and are still emotion driven. It is a funky and interesting song which is sure to please many with its ability to be poppy without being cheesy. The third track, ‘All In The Reflexes’ is more heavy than the others and the emotion seems to be dropped for a more heavy sound with some storming Rock lines and also some brilliant drum playing and strong guitar riffs. I like it as it shows they can be more heavy and pull it off and I think its totally cool when bands are willing to experiment and try out some new things. This is a long track but even so it manages to maintain momentum and is cracking throughout. Track 4, ‘Motion Sickness’ is another cool song with a stunning guitar riff and some outstanding drumming. The song steams away with some shouty vocals, some melodic vocals and lyrics catchier than the flu! Again it has a different sound and with such a large variety it is amazing that they have been able to pull them all off with such fluency and style. Ah, now we get to track 5, a cover of Ricky Martin’s ‘Vida Loca’ …ahem nice. Interesting this song may be but it really doesn’t do the band justice. It is really different to their usual style but the drumming is still cool and fast and the guitar riffs are awesome. Ok, the vocals are Shuriken but don’t portray the band in their true colours. Odd choice for a cover song here but oh well. The sixth track however, ‘Intangible’ is a steady song with extremely emotional vocals getting back to what the band do best – making solid Punk tunes. This is a great tune and ends the EP in tremendous style. I feel that this tune is enough to catapult the band into the mainstream.

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Shuriken are a four piece band that combine melodic Punk with Rock to create their own unique sound. This is a single containing two tracks and is available for you to buy from HMV. The first track, ‘Arch Nemesis’ has melodic Punky vocals, with a storming drumming beat and a strong Guitar riff. This song has some great lyrics and has a superb chorus. The vocals are kept melodic at all times and they really manage to pull off something very special here. The second track, ‘Omega Red’ starts off with a great guitar riff before driving you into the vocals. Again, it is a melodic Punky Rock song and is carried out superbly. The vocals are excellent and along with the instrumental side make way for a storming tune. The guitar playing here is excellent and along with the drumming it provides a really good base for the vocals. The band have written on the inside cover ‘TS’ and with this ‘This CD has been classified TOTALLY SWEET,’ and I definitely agree with their classification. If you are looking for an exciting Alt-Rock / Punk band then check this one out as they are awesome and are definitely not to be missed. Check this band out while they are touring and I am sure that you will not be disappointed! Trust my judgement on this one and go out there and buy the single!

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