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KATTAH
Eyes Of Sand
Formed in Brazil in 2006, this album tells a story based around Arabian culture mixing Brazilian rhythms and heavy metal. So the PR goes. From the outset it’s solid if rough’n’ready trad metal. A touch of 00’s melodic metal but more so early 90s Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.
The opening title track starts with a plane landing, before the metal comes in at a pace. Some pan pipes mid song but then it’s back to the metal. The bass is heavy if a little ploddy, the vocals range from Dickinson-esque to quite rough.
A couple of songs start with electrical effects (annoying), and some do vary the pace and feel mid song, there are some good lines and guitar work, most of the work is ferocious, and the odd Arabian touch is good.
It’s good but not too inspiring. Probably worth a listen online first.
***
Joe Geesin
KARNIVAL KORPUS
Funky Dirt
Some heavy if old style blues rock, it’s solid, chunky, reminiscent of some early 70s bar and arena bands. As the (mini) album title hints at, it is dirty, and there’s a hint of funk too.
The five tracks are full of riffs and solid rhythms, and even the slower More Than I Can Ask is a good listen.
Think Extreme, but heavier, bluesier, dirtier, more honest
***1/2
Joe Geesin
Haley BOWERY & The MANIMALS
Born Strange
Bowery is a singer and lyricist with attitude, and with a 3 piece band (stripped down sound) behind her, there’s a mix of glam pop, post grunge and punk. It’s dirty and sleazy, platforms and torn tights.
Many songs are really stripped down but others add an extra dimension either with some discrete keyboards or the use of an upright bass. Plenty of crunchy riffs, but it’s rather haphazard – the nature of the beast I guess.
Fine if you like this kind of music but It’s really not for me.
***
Joe Geesin
RAWBURT
Musketeer
Released 6 months ago, this new album from Rawburt features several ex members of Human Race. Mid paced and mid quality power metal with a bit of melody, the opening Too Numb To Run has some good moments, most of them on the keyboards. An Eye For An Eye is more ordinary and very rough, guitars are coarsely ground and the bass is distorted. The vocals are compared to Jorn Lande, apparently, but sound course.
The opening riff to Original Sin is very chunky and heavy, much like most of the album. Later on there are the odd melodic moments, either on keyboards or a rare clean sounding guitar. These are good (nothing exceptional) and a welcome break from the cheese grated sound of the rest of it.
The melodic power metal elements are well worth a listen, but too much of the album is ordinary and noisy.
**1/2
Joe Geesin
BROWNSVILLE STATION
Still Smokin’
A breath of fresh air is this new album by a reformed Brownsville Station. They are perhaps best known for their work in the early 70s including the hit Smokin’ In The Boys Room, which was later covered by Motley Crue.
Now back together, a revamped line up (founder guitarist Cub Koda died in 2000) and some quality new songs, the rock’n’roll that influenced them and the sleaze that influenced others is still there.
Opening with Shakin’, reminiscent of Nazareth’s Boogaloo only heavier, and Rock And Roll Is Better Than Music as a real stomping track, although a bit clichéd with all the name checks given.
Busy Guy is an offbeat country track, Already Gone is a good sleazy number with a nod to the Stones, although the intro is similar to Wonder’s Superstition.
The odd cliché aside, 12 new and largely quality songs, and a new 2012 version of Smokin’ In The Boys Room to boot. This band are def well worth checking out.
****
Joe Geesin
STINGRAY
Further Down
Quite why I’m reviewing an album released 2 years ago is anyone’s guess.
Opening track Cellar Of Madness typical of the classic rock on offer from this Swedish band – albeit with a thin production and a disjointed coming together of some otherwise decent riffs, touching on Sabbath and Maiden and a hint of glam too. Born To Rock hints to glam tinged NWoBHM, while Tonight hints to chunky FM / AOR with plenty of melody and guitar / vocal harmonies.
Even with the deeper darker crunchy numbers the sound is weak and a little tinny.
There are some good numbers and some good guitar work, but the elements are a little varied, directionless and disjointed. And, released 2 years ago, they shouldn’t send this now, they should reissue it with a complete remix and remaster.
**
Joe Geesin
BLUE ORIGIN
Somnium
A rather blistering debut album that opens with a Lamb Of God level brutality, with screams and riffs to match.
I have no track list to work from but to suffice to say that the sound is solid, hard, heavy, and the pace and riffage are relentless. The first two tracks are blistering, the third is a little chunkier, and the fourth adds some trad metal guitar work and a solid rhythm. Track five opens slower and almost acoustically, some nice varied work in the drums and a lighter yet good touch to the vocals – clear and matching the almost balladic metal well.
Then the harsh guitar and punchy vocals are back.
This is good brutal extreme metal that is well produced, and it’s as consistent as it is deafening.
If you like your ears bleeding, check this out.
****
Joe Geesin
Second opinion…
Five piece band from Stoke-on-Trent who recorded this debut album in a farmhouse near Stoke. They have been touring these past few years and this shows on the playing on the debut album as they sound tighter than a gnat’s chuff. The music is very heavy indeed and the drummer certainly likes to bash his cymbals!
Opener ‘Sick’ and ‘Godless’ (which has a YouTube video to go with it), highlight the band’s strengths – massive riffs, heavy rhythm and vocalist Nick Pilgrim giving his all. The slower song ‘Make Me’ doesn’t quite work as the vocals sound a bit forced and he seems more at ease on the more aggressive numbers.
Solid and assured debut from a band who will go far I am sure.
****
Jason Ritchie
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