EP reviews: UNFORESEEN PROPHECY, CASINO THIEVES, HELLBENT AND HAMMERED

EP Review : UNFORESEEN PROPHECY – Burn The Skies
Self Release [Release Date 05.01.15]

Unforeseen Prophecy are a quintet from Gravesend and formed in 2010. Burn The Skies is their second release. The band play metal, hard and heavy with plenty melody. Unforeseen Prophesy are influenced by the likes of Trivium, Machine Head and Lacuna Coil.

Burn The Skies is a three track EP and begins with a powerful song, ‘Burn The Skies’, with excellent riffs, rhythms and melodies. Unfortunately the most prominent vocals are provided by Charis Pattison, listed as backing but more like lead vocals. Her voice is weak and uninteresting and I feel this track is somewhat spoilt as is the final track, ‘Oblivion’, on which her vocals are again prominent.

However the second track, ‘The Placebo Effect ‘, is a faultless metal track, hard, heavy, powerful, almost vomited vocals by Paul Wells, excellent! The musicianship on show throughout the EP is first class only let down by the weak female vocals, I can’t imagine her voice would work well live, her mic must be turned up to 11.

Unforeseen Prophecy have played support to many bands including Evil Scarecrow and Seven Deadly and the band plan to back up this release with extensive live shows.

Good effort and good luck. ***

Review by CJ

EP Review : CASINO THIEVES – The Quiet Road Home
Self Release [Release Date 08.12.14]

Casino Thieves are a trio from South Wales and The Quiet Road Home is their second release. The band play melodic, alt rock and they play it well.

The Quiet Road Home consists of five tracks all of which are fairly similar except for the last, ‘Beautiful Lenses’, which is a slower, more pop than rock track. Definitely a more accessible track than the rest but all are fairly mainstream and unchallenging.

Opener ‘Halogen Eyes’ sets the pace for most of the EP, well played, pleasant easy to listen to tracks. To begin with I thought the bass was quite powerful until I realised I had the bass boost on! However vocalist Jeremy Dessent has a distinctive voice with a slightly sleazy sound which suits the music well.

‘Licence to Kill’, Exit Or Entrance?’ and ‘Crash’ follow, nothing much to catch your attention and make one track stand out from another.

Not a bad EP, more for the fans of bands like Young Guns, Taking Back Sunday, Twin Atlantic, etc. than for me. ***

Review by CJ

EP Review : HELLBENT & HAMMERED – Death Rattle
Self release [Release Date 15.12.14]

Hellbent and Hammered hail from London and have been on the rock circuit for ten years. However due to line-up changes, band members walking out and several unreleased EP’s Death Rattle is their first proper EP.

Aimed at fans of Down, Lamb of God and Clutch among others the band play groove/power metal with a thrash edge. Death Rattle consists of four tracks each one as unrelentingly heavy as the last. Opener ‘Death Rattle’ does as promised, melting your ears from the off with driving rhythms and brutal vocals provided by Ryan le Roux.

The ear bashing continues with three more tracks, ‘Hung, Drawn & Quartered’, ‘All Consuming’ and ‘Built That Way’. ‘Hung, Drawn &Quartered’ has some interesting rhythm changes, ‘All Consuming is in my opinion the weakest track, I found the vocals hard to listen to, very monotone.

‘Built That Way’ finishes off the EP in fine style, another ear melter, great belted out lyrics and fantastic riffs and rhythms, this is the best track.

Hopefully Hellbent & Hammered have put their trials and tribulations behind them and will go from strength to strength as this EP is an excellent offering. ****

Review by CJ

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)