Hot Sauce Pony – Burnt Ends

Jun20

With the debut album from Hot Sauce Pony prowling anticipation, the UK outfit unleash its first lure in the shape of the carnally seductive Burnt Ends. The track is a ravenous teaser of that forthcoming self-titled offering, a song which has calm, beauty, and ruin colluding for a frustratingly but imperiously short one minute plus.

Formed in 201, the London band consists of vocalist Caroline Gilchrist, guitarist Ross Davies, bassist Stephen Gilchrist, and drummer Anna Dodridge. Their sound is a unique fusion of noise and punk rock with grunge, post punk, and hardcore hues. They call it Avant Hard; we call it in regards to the new single feral sensuality. The track and the upcoming Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey) album follow a first single in Fenced In which aroused rich attention and intrigue. Burnt Ends more than builds on its ear grabbing success and thick potency with a moment where extremes unite to devour the senses with beauty and ruin.

From its first breath Burnt Ends had us licking lips, the charred growl of the bass a bestial temptation matched by the just as roasted snarl of the guitar. Swiftly the melodic siren tempting of Caroline’s vocals drew ears deeper into the cremated offering, the slow manipulative swing of Anna’s beats just as irresistible. Like a fusion of Horse Party, Morass Of Molasses, and Mudhoney with a whiff of Young Marble Giants yet firmly individual, the track just got under the skin and into the psyche as hips continued to sway to its primal groove.

Such the pleasure, it really does frustrate when the track stops suddenly and without warning barely a clutch of seconds past its first minute. It leaves nagging, teasing fingers though as its elements continued to echo in thoughts long after departure.

Leave them wanting more is the key to success some say, and without doubt the hunger for the band’s eponymous debut album is on the point of rabidity thanks to Burnt Ends.

Burnt Ends is released June 22^nd via Brixton Hillbilly. The band also has first single Fenced In available as a free download @ https://soundcloud.com/brixton-hillbilly/fenced-in-by-hot-sauce-pony

Upcoming Hot Sauce Pony live dates:

23rd June Club 85, HITCHIN

30th June Betsy Trotswood, LONDON

16th August – HY-Brazil, BRISTOL

https://www.facebook.com/hotsaucepony/

Pete RingMaster 20/05/2018

Ben Wood & The Bad Ideas – The Reveal

Jun19

Luxurious in its temptation, haunting in its touch, The Reveal is the new single from Ben Wood & The Bad Ideas. The song is a proposition which tantalises as it seduces, every one of its creative threads uniting in a weave of real magnetism for ear and imagination. We have not every track from the band’s repertoire but we can be confident in suggesting that The Reveal is one of if not THE finest moment from them yet.

Ben Wood started life as a busker and acoustic guitarist in Essex scene. An opportunity to contribute to an X-Ray Spex charity album in the US, Wood and co one of only two British artists involved meant he had to find a band, record a track and get it sent over to the States in just 48 hours. Succeed he did and in 2012 Ben Wood & The Bad Ideas, its name inspired by his doubts over swiftly resolving that scenario, began going on to play Prince Charles’ Garden Party at Clarence House, headline the Yes To Life festival and releasing that compilation track, Obsessed With You as their first single.

Alongside Ben Wood in the band is Andy Duke of Top Buzzer, Cauldronated, and most recently Flesh Tetris fame; the two co-writing the new single. For The Reveal, the pair is also joined by Bruce Thomas from Elvis Costello & The Attractions on bass; a line-up which alone bred instant intrigue for the release with also features Cristabel Christo . It is an anticipation swiftly fed and pleasured by the song, keys and rhythms immediately teasing and wrapping ears respectively. The latter’s atmospherics caress the dark pulsing of Thomas’ bass as a post punk-esque resonance blossoms. Even at this early point there is feeling of The Sound to the song, a hue thickening and enriching its growing prowess and lure. It is a flavouring though which is woven into the track’s uniqueness and increasingly haunting majesty.

Wood’s vocals are just as captivating as every element entangled; the track a web of strands rather than a boiling mass but just as powerful in its emotion, intimation, and craft. From verse to chorus, note to rhythmic enticement, the track is pure captivation and for us simply one of the best tracks heard this year so far.

The Reveal is released on 25th June.

https://www.facebook.com/BenWoodTheBadIdeas https://twitter.com/benwoodbadideas

Pete RingMaster 19/06/2018

Nebelhorn – Urgewalt

Jun19

Urgewalt is the third album from Nebelhorn but for us the first time we have come across the one man project from Germany. This may be the situation for a great many, fans and bands alike, as it gets harder for independent projects to encroach upon broader attention though in this case but such the accomplished and potent exploits of the release, Nebelhorn may have broken those restraints.

Nebelhorn is the creation of multi-instrumentalist Wieland; an idea emerging in 2002. Fusing black and Viking metal in sound and atmosphere, he has subsequently released two albums in Gen Helwegs Grund (2005) and Fiordland Sagas (2007) since making his debut with the Utgard EP in2004. Released on his own Skoll Records, every seed and touch of Urgewalt is Wieland alone and a striking piece of writing, imagination, and sonic adventure it proved to be.

The opening instrumental welcome of the excellent Auf Bifrösts Rücken rises up with drama and suggestion, its orchestral walls cinematic in their intimation as rhythms build solid foundations to the epic feel of the surroundings. Yet there is a melodic intimacy which equally tempts the imagination before the album’s title track with the same kind of majesty emerges. Swiftly dark tides and imposing rumblings surge as the track erupts into a rousing incitement of threat and seduction. Wieland’s vocals, raw and melodic, alone spark keen attention, their lure matched by the tidal currents and drama of the sounds. Singing in his home language the tale of the song and its companions evaded recognition but there was no escaping the Nordic and dramatic clues to the mercurial and ever darkening escapade.

As the first, the track was rich captivation with its tempestuous nature sparking the dark storm of next up Ägirs Zorn. Prowling the senses from its first breath, the track is a warlike trespass, barbarian-esque in its threat with dirtier hues in its touch though they are tempered by the siren like sighs of keys. If not quite matching the potency of its predecessors, the song is relentlessly compelling as too the predatory assault of Wilde Jagd. Its initial battlefield hunts down ears and imagination, following it up with a ravenous onslaught of sound and sonic animosity. As with all tracks though, there is a grace which courts the despoiling, keys at its heart.

Wieland’s instrumental prowess is an open attraction throughout the album especially through the inventive antics of the guitar and his imagination a rich draw as emphasized by the following Muspellheim. An invasion of sound and dark emotions, the track is simultaneously tempting and distressing, keys haunting its bedlam as vocals steer the rapacious insurgency.

A calmer air embraces Auf neue Lande, it’s exploring of new land and hope breeding melodic endeavour in the wake of the previous track’s ruinous intent. It was another which took longer to spark the appetite compared to those before yet with its melodic touch and emotive canvas, the song only firmly enticed while Funkenflug similarly gripped attention without inflaming the same intensity of reaction. Yet it too cast a wealth of craft and adventure so easy to be caught up in.

The closing Freyhall is another instrumental magnet for ears and imagination; both devouring its touch and suggestion as various flavours collude with its blackened Viking breath. A final quest for enjoyment and thoughts to feed upon, it is a fine close to an impressive release which enticed and pleasured straight away and only further blossomed with time. There are no guarantees of success and recognition, even awareness, in an overcrowded musical market place but if there is one release you might place a bet on finding that success, Urgewalt is it.

Urgewalt is available now.

https://www.facebook.com/Nebelhorn.Vikingmetal/

Pete RingMaster 19/06/2018

Hamerex – The Abyss Vol. 1

Jun14

The Abyss Vol. 1 is the first part of a trilogy from UK heavy metallers Hamerex, a collection set to be fully released by the end of the year. The four track encounter just uncaged is a powerful and inventive assault of a sound which has been stirring up the senses and praise since the band first emerged back in 2004. Consisting of two new tracks and two previously released songs which have been re-recorded and infused with the stirring evolution surging through the band’s sound, The Abyss Vol. 1 is basically a compelling slab of voracious rock ‘n’ roll.

Hailing from Wakefield, Hamerex was formed by vocalist/guitarist Steve Blower. Starting with debut album Rites Of Passage in 2012, the band’s releases have drawn potent praise, its successor IX the following year and third album Traitor in 2016 sparking acclaim as too before the latter, The Last Ride EP. Each has revealed an open growth and maturity in the band’s sound which has a new head with The Abyss. The new EP is also the first release to feature bassist Marc Hood and drummer Sharif Diz Dyson alongside Blower and guitarist Andy Firth.

It immediately roars upon the senses with opener The Extremist, riffs devouring ears as rhythms voraciously pounce and drive the track through ears. Blower’s vocals have no restraint either but come with a more composed attack as the sounds ravage and incite. Heavy and more extreme metals textures collude in the tempest, every hook and groove as threatening as they are flirtatious with every bass growl and flying beat accentuating each magnetic trait. The track which originally appeared on XI, just hits the spot as familiar and unique sounds and textures come together with rapacious intent.

The following Broken is just as bold and tenacious on the ears though it prowls the listener before unleashing its web of melodically inviting and sonically fiery enterprise; never going for the jugular but blending seduction and threat all the same. One of the new tracks it just ignites big anticipation for what is to follow across the other EPs ahead as too its fellow newcomer, Crucifixion. Featuring Hood on lead vocals, the track storms ears with a thrash nurtured surge, Blower and Firth infesting the senses as grooves incessantly nag. Darker ruinous hues invade backing vocals and in turn the climate of the incitement, the track continuing to revolve between heavy and extreme metal predation until its final toxic expulsion. Both tracks suggest a new and striking evolution in the band’s sound which as suggested earlier makes the other two episodes in this trilogy very easy to get excited for.

In between those two songs is The Dark Tower which first infested ears upon Traitor. The tendril of guitar drawing attention to its body is pure enticement as too the subsequent heavy metal rumble of the encounter and its tart melodic veining.

All four tracks suggest that Hamerex is at the beginning of a new chapter in their sound but it is the new pair which really excites ensuring the next volumes of The Abyss will be eagerly welcomed.

The Abyss Vol. 1 is out now and available across most online stores and @ https://hamerex.bandcamp.com/album/the-abyss-vol-1

https://hamerex.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hamerex https://twitter.com/hamerex

Pete RingMaster 12/06/2018

Leatherjacks – The Lost Arks Of Rock And Roll + singles

Jun14

As the band get to work on its successor, we take a look back at the Leatherjacks debut album as well as subsequent singles as an introduction to their inventive rock ‘n’ roll. From São Paulo, Brazil and formed in 2016, Leatherjacks is the creation of singer, songwriter, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist Mauro Cordeiro and it was through his personal introduction that we were guided to the band’s first album, a flavoursome slab of heavy metal infused hard rock which has raised an eager anticipation for its upcoming successor.

With the inspiration of bands such as Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Thin Lizzy, George Benson, and Stray Cats among many others shaping his own musical imagination, The Lost Arks Of Rock And Roll was pretty much a solo project for Cordeiro despite attempting to find like-minded musicians to realise his intent. For the second album he has realised his hopes for a full band line-up with the addition of bassist Marcos Brandão and guitarist Rapha Gusto; a drummer still being sought as we write.

The Lost Arks Of Rock And Roll opens up with People (We’re Chosen Ones) and instantly had ears keenly attentive with its swinging groove and fiery touch. Riffs and rhythms simultaneously launch an infectious lure, the vocals of Cordeiro adding to the swift captivation. Certainly the song is not over ripe in uniqueness but quickly blossomed with fresh and imaginative enterprise through the open craft of its creator; that blending of classic and heavy metal with rousing hard rock providing a highly flavoured proposition which easily caught the appetite.

Next up Crocodile’s Heart has a more controlled gait and sonic calm though its simmer bubbled rapaciously throughout. An eighties metal spicing brings a catchy hue to the song which though it did not ignite ears as forcibly as its predecessor, left its pleasurable mark especially through Cordeiro’s guitar enterprise before Burning Wire grabbed attention with its web of wiry grooves and rousing rhythms honed into a manipulative slice of heavy rock ‘n’ roll with a deft melodic touch. Cordeiro has a passion for rockabilly among other sounds, a hue definitely behind the track’s tenacious and quickly addictive stomp.

Taking best track honours it is followed by the muscular roar of the track LeatherJacks. Once more heavy metal and imposing hard rock are blended for a proposal which almost preys on ears as it pleasures them; its tone as predacious as it is arousing before Emotions On Sale explores a more tender, ballad like side to the Leatherjacks invention. It still comes with a fire in its belly though; one which inflames its voice and intensity throughout a magnetic presence to forge another high point in the album’s already compelling body.

The Slammer was a song which did not quite hook up with personal tastes yet Cordeiro has a style and touch to his guitar play and songwriting which easily tempts as proven not for the first or last time by Do You Fucking Pay My Bills?, a raucous but defined rock ‘n’ roll assault riff armed and melody inflamed with attitude oozing every note and syllable.

The following instrumental MotoCross is a delicious metal ‘n’ roll incitement, craft and adrenaline fuelling its addictive antics before the album concludes on its title track. The final song was another which did not quite ignite the juices as those before but again bouncing to its contagion and returning to its fire for more was never in doubt.

The Lost Arks Of Rock And Roll is a highly enjoyable and accomplished release with really impressive moments which have only been built upon by subsequent singles; tracks hinting of bigger and bolder things to come with its successor. The end of 2017 saw Leatherjacks release I Hate To Fall In Love. A melodic romance with that ever present fire in its heart and lining, the song has a freshness to it which inescapably entices. It is a song written decades earlier but stands the test of time and with its new enterprise firmly pleasures though not as majorly as Persona Non Grata. A track presumably set to appear on the second album, which we believe will be called Songs For The Strangest Ones, it is superb. Immediately it reveals its infectious swagger, guitars and rhythms uniting in a flirtatious canter as vocals melodically share the song’s heart. Again familiarity and fresh endeavour do collude yet a union which invades ears and imagination with eager intent and adventure. The track is accompanied by the song Spells and Zombies Through the Night, an even bolder, more raucous offering which suggests that this new album once realised will eclipse all before.

The Lost Arks Of Rock And Roll and those singles are all available via iTunes.

http://www.leatherjacksofficial.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/leatherjacksofficial

Pete RingMaster 12/06/2018

Quantum Leap – No Reason

Jun13

Creating a tantalising yet portentous fusion of post punk and garage rock, Swedish trio Quantum Leap make their major entrance with a debut album which through its dark climes and apocalyptic tones makes for one hungrily infectious and enthralling proposition. No Reason, in the words of its introduction, “invites you to a heavy and dark feast celebrating the very last setting of the sun”, a beckoning as arousing as it is threatening.

Hailing from Uppsala, Quantum Leap consists of vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Björn Norberg, bassist Andreas Hennius, and drummer Mats Gustavsson. With a diversity of musical backgrounds taking in thrash, death and black metal, electronica and pop, the three came together in 2014. A demo was released in 2016 after the band linked up with producer Tomas Skogsberg of legendary Sunlight Studios (Entomed, Refused, Backyard Babies, Dismember). That led to a contract with Swedish label Viskningar och Vrål (Whisperings and Growls), who now release the fiercely magnetic No Reason, the release again seeing the trio working with Skogsberg and featuring guest musicians in Lea Martinelle (saxophone), Rosa Kristalova (cello), Mattis Fredriksson (accordion), Daniel Söderberg (on modular synthesizer), and Janet Simmonds (backing vocals).

It opens up with That’s The Reason, a swiftly compelling trespass of post punk bringing an initial menace of sound before rumbling through ears on a rhythmically driven stroll wrapped in sonic dissonance. Norberg’s vocals, as strong and magnetic as the web of sounds around them, are soon accentuating the lure. It is a dark, suffocating, and invasively heavy confrontation but inescapably contagious with echoes of eighties bands such as Joy Division, Play Dead, and Leitmotiv to its rasping winds.

It is an outstanding start which swiftly aroused a keen appetite for things to come; one soon reinforced by the following In Between Worlds. It too springs from a raw sonic misting into a virulent attack, its swing eating at instincts and psyche with viral tenacity whilst spreading another exploration of stark, ravenous times. There is more of a noise infested rock ‘n’ roll attack to its post punk, bass and drums a rapacious incitement upon which guitars and keys spread a toxic glaze while escalating the infectious and fractious catchiness of the song.

With an even darker climate Blind comes next, the track a calmer but equally emotionally and atmospherically invasive proposal. It offers a more art/alternative rock spicing with not for the last time within the album a Bowie-esque hue which only adds to its persuasion before Yeah sees the band embrace a metal lined garage rock flavouring with matching success. The diversity within the band’s sound is in full swing at this point, each song revealing a new shade and flavouring to keep things unpredictable and intriguing. Trust quickly backs this variety up with its seventies psych toned dark rock. Though all uniquely different, the quintet of tracks so far all slip perfectly alongside each other, the alluring overall Quantum Leap voice uniting their eclectic characters.

The Fiction In The Daily Life bounds in with a mix of garage punk and heavy rock straight after; the excellent track swiftly stirring up attention and pleasure while Sea repeats that tempting straight after with its again Bowie reminding saunter. There is a definite Heroes like feel to the track which maybe does not lead it to impress as some of its companions within the album but only richly pleases within its fuzzy climate.

Through the bruising and hungrily rousing rock ‘n’ roll of All I Ever Wanted and the Bauhaus meets Wire like gothic/post punk air of I Don’t Know attention and enjoyment only escalated, both tracks unsettling magnetism while Dreaming taps a poppier gait to its darky lit romancing to equally attract. A bit like a blend of Modern English and Modern Eon with once more that hint of Bowie, the song entices from start to finish.

The album concludes with firstly the groove wired heavy punk ‘n’ roll of Mayday and lastly the senses consuming, imagination sparking sonic tides of Like A Memory From A Long Time Ago. With a melodic Skids like current ebbing and flowing in its infectiously sinister but thickly alluring ominous waters, it is a last entrapment for the suggestively impending apocalypse and another sepulchral proposal which is quite irresistible.

Quantum Leap have uncaged a debut which simply demands attention of the band and their dark foreboding layered sound…so stop reading and go explore.

No Reason is out now through Viskningar och vrål.

https://www.facebook.com/quantumleap2/

Pete RingMaster 06/06/2018

The Refusers – Disobey

Jun13

“An album called Disobey by a group called The Refusers – you can’t get any more defiant than that, and that is exactly what rock and roll is supposed to be.”

The words of band founder, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter Michael Belkin tells all about the heart and intent of the band’s new and third full-length, indeed their sound overall. It is a collection of songs which snarl with defiance and irritability yet infest ears and incite the body with broadly flavoured rock ‘n’ roll in decades courting styles. Lyrically it reflects and attacks with incisive honesty and rigour while musically it has the body bouncing; a combination which makes the upcoming release of Disobey one compelling proposal.

Formed in 2010, Seattle hailing The Refusers sparked real attention with their 2016 album Wake Up America. It was a release which reflected and roared at a corrupt and twisted political and social world. It is fair to say things have not changed for the better in the world over the past two years and Disobey equally preys on its perverse habits and immoral practices. It focuses on the bad heart of America but as we all know it is a ruin reflected across the world from corner to corner.

Belkin links up with a host of musicians for the new album including bassist Steve Newton, drummers Sebastian Belkin (Michael’s son) and Brendan Hill from Blues Traveler, and keyboardists Joe Doria and Eric Robert, who has performed with John Oates, Keb’ Mo’ and Lucky Peterson. Disobey opens up with Playing With Fire and immediately lures ears with its blues tinted groove and potent rhythmic shuffle. Belkin’s vocals are soon joining the bold mix, adding accusing sparks as the track burned its presence upon the imagination. It is an intriguing start to the release, a song which did not explode on the senses but got under the skin by the second to arouse attention and an anticipation of things to come.

The following Why Do They Lie strolls in next with a deceptively calm swing, keys a tantalising lure in its developing melody nurtured rock ‘n’ roll. An instinctive catchiness soon had hips swaying as feet tapped; the track a swift persuasion before the album’s title track aroused the senses with its classic rock meets The Cars like canter. As lyrics focus and ensnare thoughts great hooks and fire bred grooves ignite the appetite, Hammond keys a tasty companion to the magnetism.

Eruption brings a call for change on a great funk ‘n’ roll saunter next, guitar and keys again a masterfully alluring incitement to accentuate rather than temper the lyrical charge while My Baby Loves Rock And Roll is a mischievous contagion echoing its title. It is a romp of the familiar and fresh which just hit the spot, swaggering along like an old inhibition evading friend.

Across Disobey, there is a seventies/eighties glaze to its rock ‘n’ roll, the following Fake News epitomising that essence with its melodic rock though to pin down straight comparisons is difficult thanks to The Refuser’s individual character of imagination and sound. The track was another which had us hooked early though the album was just as effective at pleasing ears with a more persistent almost nagging temptation as through Government Slave, another classic/hard rock nurtured proposal with tenacious hooks and teasing grooves.

The final pair of Free The Captives and Emancipation close the album up; the first a calmer but no less assured slice of rock balladry wrapped in the ever appealing embrace of keys. Its successor is a final cut of addiction flirting captivation; its chorus especially irresistible. As the album, there is something of Midnight Oil to the track, more in lyrical insight but also a little in its sound even with its more classic rock breeding, which just adds to the appealing hues at work.

Defiance and rock ‘n’ roll go hand in hand; always has and always will. The Refusers mix both with craft and adventure within Disobey; an album which may not be the most unique but leaves its rich mark rather enjoyably.

https://therefusers.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheRefusers/

Pete RingMaster 12/06/2018