Bad Mary – Killing Dinosaurs EP

Photo by Nick P Jiannaras of Nicolai Patrick Photography_

When presented with a band name like Bad Mary mischievous thoughts of course spring up as well as hopes that they have a sound to back up the devilish allure of their name. The Long Island quartet has that and more on the evidence of new EP Killing Dinosaurs. It is six highly flavoursome and raucous slices of punk ‘n’ roll unafraid to be as pop catchy as they are belligerently irritable. It is steeped in seventies punk and power pop with the attitude and tenacity of modern rock ‘n’ roll, and quite irresistible.

Bad Mary’s beginnings sprung in 2010 from the regular happening of Hofstra University’s professor of drama and guitarist David Henderson putting a band together with students each semester to play a bunch of covers. At this moment in time vocalist Amanda Mac and bassist/vocalist Mike Staub were the students who became involved, with a time of turnover in drummers ending with Amanda’s dad and veteran drummer Bill Mac joining the band. Playing songs from favourite new wave and punk artists from several eras, initially as Madame X, Bad Mary was officially launched in 2012, and through each member’s individual love of punk and rock from different decades, the band’s own sound grew and blossomed. Debut album Better Days was the first offering, a 2014 release going on to garner three first-round ballot Grammy nominations, success matched by their live presence and their songs luring media and radio attention on both sides of the pond.

     With inspirations ranging from The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, and Motorhead to The Tom Robinson Band, The Police, Blondie, and Green Day amongst many, the band’s new EP is a non-stop stomp that growls as it invites, bullies as it sets ears and imagination alight. Recorded with producer/engineer Matt Storm and assistant engineer Francisco Botero at Studio G in Brooklyn, Killing Dinosaurs gets straight to the point with opener Soapbox. Amanda leads the confrontation from the off, her potent tones the first touch and fiery guitars around rampant rhythms the next. It is an infectious and grouchy start with the growl of bass alone a brooding impossible to resist temptation as the guitars release their similarly enticing caustic flames. The backing roars of Mike brings a fiercer texture to compliment the intimidatingly tantalising tones of Amanda whilst more metal bred hues add to the overall brawl of the excellent start to the EP.

Whereas the first track has a presence crossing years, the following Want What I Want carries a great old school punk character, strolling with a swagger which is part Vice Squad and part The Objex. The bass of Mike again captivates with its heavy swagger whilst David weaves a hook lined web of enterprise part venom part flirtation as Bill slaps the listeners’ proverbial cheeks around. Eclipsing its predecessor, it too is shaded a touch by next up Hanging Around, a boisterous canter carrying the glam rock of Sweet, the mischievous pop punk of the Rezillos, and the rapacious virulence of dragSTER. The track steals the show, leaving an already strong appetite greedier and already by this time an exhausted body more wasted but energised.

A cover of The Police song Next to You swings in next with a similar swagger and nature whilst delving into more classic heavy rock enterprise whilst adding a tasty scent of early No Doubt punk pop to it . Again physical involvement is a given as it spins its lures, a success emulated by the X-Ray Spex meets The Avengers like Sucks to Be You, another rousing middle finger of word and energy

Killing Dinosaurs is completed by One More Song, a compelling mix of fifties rock ‘n’ roll and sixties pop embroiled in power pop/punk rock imagination and dexterity. It is an infectious end to an increasingly enjoyable encounter; a collusion of old school and twenty first century punk ‘n’ roll to lift emotions from the doldrums and bodies into feverish participation.

The Killing Dinosaurs EP is out now @ https://badmary.bandcamp.com/album/killing-dinosaurs-ep

http://badmary.com/  https://twitter.com/BadMaryBand   https://www.facebook.com/badmaryband

Pete RingMaster 22/10/2105

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Chainflower – The Broken & Lovely

Earlier this year, we found ourselves treated to one ferocious blaze of compelling psyche twisting rock ‘n’ roll from US duo Chainflower, and now we have another from the same protagonist to sets ears and passions ablaze. The band’s new scorching persuasion is The Broken & Lovely EP, a thrilling successor to their outstanding and acclaimed self-titled debut EP. It is a two track offering just as impacting and gripping in its blend of varied rock flavours but has something extra to out shine its impressive predecessor. It is an indefinable essence that makes The Broken & Lovely EP eclipse a release whose songs we suspect might have been possibly written and also recorded at the same time as the new EP, but something to help Chainflower’s latest offering reach up to another plateau in songwriting and sound, not forgetting temptation.

     Chainflower is the creation of guitarist and songwriter Kelly Wheeler, a veteran of the L.A. music scene who as well as having played with members of Jane’s Addiction and Tool in his career, uncaged his highly praised and supported bands SexTapes and Ultraject, the first which is now on hiatus, featuring long time Guns N’ Roses member Chris Pitman on lead vocals. Uniting with vocalist Erika Renee, who had ‘applied’ for the newly vacant vocalist spot in Ultraject at the time, the pair emerged as Chainflower and quickly got to work on the local live scene whilst joining producer and engineer Doug Grean (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, Scott Weiland, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper) to record that first EP.

A few months on and also recorded with Grean, The Broken & Lovely opens up with Lewd Blues which is instantly bewitching ears with its bluesy, almost intoxicated haze of guitar. Things only get spicier and more gripping as the distinctive tones of Renee unveil their lures and the song’s narrative, punchy beats, and a great grizzled bass tempting provided by Eliot Lorango add to the increasingly magnetic and sizzling seduction on offer. The grooves of Wheeler relentlessly wind around the senses and imagination, perpetually teasing the passions even when switching from a delta blues lined coaxing to seventies psych rock imagination, Renee all the time riding his weaves and sways like a surfer with her delivery.

Second song on the EP is Hell’s Roll; a more predatory stroll again coursing a fuzzy maze of guitar prowess covered by darker shadows conducted by the hefty but controlled swings of guest drummer Brandon Pertzborn. Never elevating from its riveting prowl, the track spins dark rock ‘n’ roll and dirty blues textures into its mystique kissed adventure of sound and vision, firmly holding ears and attention as enthralled as the imagination.

Like an endearingly twisted mix of My Baby, Karn8, and at times Morass of Molasses, both tracks just excite and inspire whilst reinforcing Chainflower as one rather thrilling proposition.

The Broken & Lovely EP is out now @ http://chainflower.bandcamp.com/album/the-broken-lovely

https://www.facebook.com/Chainflowermusic

Pete RingMaster 22/10/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Curse of the North – Curse of the North: I

There are some releases where it is difficult to imagine anyone not being gripped by their proposals and such a triumph is the new self-titled album from US metallers Curse of the North. It is a beast of instinctive and addictive virulence that blends the ripest essences of heavy and classic metal with the muscular invention of modern rock ‘n’ roll. It is an encounter which seems to hone in on personal tastes, taps into the psyche to discover its deepest pleasures and then unleashes them across eight rigorously rousing encounters. Quite simply it is one of the most invigorating albums this year to set ears and passions alight.

Born in Seattle, Curse of the North currently consists of vocalist/guitarist Christiaan Morris, former 3 Inches of Blood member Nick Cates on bass, and Burke Thomas of McKagan’s Loaded and Vendetta Red on drums. Formed in 2010, the band has toured and shared stages with the likes of Red Fang, The Sword, Eyehategod, Destruction, Death Angel, Lord Dying, Valient Thorr, Kadavar, The Shrine, and Gypsyhawk whilst 2011 saw the release of their Matt Bayles (Mastodon, The Sword, Botch) produced first EP Revelations. A few line-up shuffles have also been part of the band’s growth which now unleashes Curse of the North: I. Produced by Morris and mixed by Kurt Ballou (Converge, High on Fire, Toxic Holocaust), with mastering undertaken by Ed Brooke, the album leaps on the listener from its first moment, the opening and every subsequent breath a roar of thick temptation.

Sleep While You Can is the first slab of persuasion, its start alone pure magnetism as Thomas creates a web of rhythmic arousal to set things in motion. Flames of guitar cross the compelling drum bait as the vocals of Morris spring their own enticing, a Glenn Danzig flavouring lining his tones and equally the shadows within the emerging tenacious metal canter of the track. Classic metal hues dance on ears too as a modern fusion of riffs and hook laded enterprise courts the imagination, the result being one terrific groove veined stomp.

   It is a mighty start taken another level by Wheel of Swords, another track with an irresistible start to its creative alchemy. A great nagging from riffs as rhythms tumble vivaciously coaxes ears first, their lure replicated in varying tones as sterner grooves and muscular predation swiftly looms up with the again potent vocals of Morris at their helm. Like Black Tusk meets Baroness with a spicing of Sabbath and Clutch to it, the song has energy and pleasure in its hands with quick ease, handing over an exhausted and rapturous body to the following Into The Trees and its mellow climate around melodic prowess. Keys emotively caress as the guitars strokes the senses with elegant suggestiveness to match the melancholic voice of Morris. The first half of the song is wrapped in this mesmeric beauty, its second a rugged landscape of again incendiary rhythms amidst tangy classic metal/rock endeavour and striking vocals.

As good as everything is to this point, the best song on the album in The Tower eclipses it. Building up its intensity and hunger through early scythes of sound, the track quickly releases its handbrake and charges through ears like Therapy? on steroids. Its torrent of riffs and ravenous hooks storms the barricades like a transatlantic cousin to anything on Troublegum from the Northern Ireland trio, its contagiousness and vocal furor similar whilst creating its own uniquely irresistible tempest. The song is breath-taking, seemingly knowing where the personal sweet spot is and hitting it relentlessly, even when slipping into a dark theatre of sinister gothic intrigue.

Thomas is rhythmically imperious on the track, as everywhere to be fair, continuing his enslaving web of craft in The Electric Wall and especially the outstanding Blessed Burning. Morris and Cates are an equal incendiary match though as the first of the two tracks sees the band creating a High on Fire/Kyuss like mountain of creative tenacity and heavy rock ‘n’ roll seduction whilst its successor, from another hypnotic rampant rhythmic trap, strolls across Queens Of The Stone Age/ Mastodon toned terrain of sonic and vocal passion. The references given across all songs are mere colours in something distinctly Curse of the North, especially emphasized when as here the guitars spin a bluesy imagination as an intimate atmosphere soaks the song.

Oceans Rise lowers the intensity if not the emotive temperature next, well certainly for its opening moments as soon it too is a cauldron of thickly jabbing beats and sonic ferocity. Along its riveting length, the assaults and aggression ebbs and flows to fluid and powerful effect, the song an undulating roller coaster of a confrontation which, as the album, just gets richer and more imposingly enjoyable over time.

The album comes to an end through the sultry blues/surf rock seducing of Faceless Killers, a sonic and melodic bewitchment which too only blossoms to greater heights with every partaking of its sweltering, increasingly volcanic landscape. It is a stunning end to simply one of the major treats of 2015; a leviathan of rock ‘n’ roll to get seriously lustful over.

Curse of the North: I is out October 23^rd via Static Tension Recordings.

https://www.facebook.com/curseofthenorth    http://www.curseofthenorth.com

Pete RingMaster 22/10/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Niamh Crowther – Little by Little

Folk rock/pop with a beaming smile, that is Little by Little, the new single from Irish singer/songwriter Niamh Crowther. Gripping feet and imagination from its first vibrant breath, the song is one of those feel good moments which continues to linger, warming the soul long after it has taken its physical leaves. The successor to the well-received single Origins, Crowther’s new flirtatious shuffle suggests she is well along the path to big rewards.

Crowther first came to prominence in Ireland when aged sixteen she beat over 15,000 other young people to claim the prestigious Irish Youth Music Awards. Concentrating on her school exams first, with most of 2014 devoted to successfully completing her Leaving Certificate (A Levels), Dublin hailing Crowther eventually went into the studio with Tim Martin (The Corrs, The Commitments, Declan O’Rourke), emerging with both Origins and Little by Little. Her eighteenth birthday also saw her on stage with Richie Sambora at the Olympia theatre in Dublin; so it has been a heady time on all counts for the emerging talent over the past couple of years or so, the garnering of over 130,000 streams on Spotify whilst having her music play listed on national Irish radio further success; all adding to good times sure to continue with the release of Little by Little.

A stroke of Crowther‘s guitar leads in her immediately alluring voice, the pair uniting as understated but firm beats add to the rising infectiousness of song and craft. Soon into a lively stroll which has feet tapping as if on puppet strings, the song seems to relish the tangy lilt of Crowther’s enticing voice and her instinctive melodic prowess, raising its energy and heart with each passing kiss of harmony and tenacious canter of rhythmic catchiness.

Though not necessarily in sound, there is a definite Kirsty MacColl like poise and invention to the songwriting and swing of the song too, a rich lure making up part of the refusing to go away majesty of the single, that and simply the organic virulence cast and fuelling the festivity.

Niamh Crowther is the name; expect to hear a lot more of it wherever you are in the world.

Little by Little is released on October 23rd.

http://niamhcrowther.com/   https://www.facebook.com/NiamhCrowther   https://twitter.com/Niamh_Crowther

Pete RingMaster 22/10/2105

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Between Waves – Paper Chain

As debuts go in 2015, Paper Chain from Between Waves has to be one of the most enjoyable. There is also a rich fuel of potential to back up its striking introduction to suggest the South Wales quintet is not going to be a flash in the pan, indeed bringing five rousing highly accomplished tracks to awaken attention, the EP suggests it is only the first step to even bigger and bolder things ahead in its air.

Formed in 2013, Between Waves took little time in whipping up an eager local following, a support stretching further afield especially, more recently, through the video of their song Place To Fall. Now Paper Chain is ready to open up fresh lures with its national uncaging, a persuasion you can only see succeeding in stirring up new fans and appetites for Between Waves.

Paper Chain opens with its title track and swiftly has ears involved in a web of melodic and vocal tempting. The new upcoming single from the band, its first intricate coaxing is magnetic as guitar caresses blend with the swiftly apparent vocal prowess of Helen Page. It is an inviting union but with an edge which becomes more open as the darker hues of Andrew Gordon’s bass joins the crisp hits of drummer Grant Robinson and the sparkling enterprise of guitarists Richard and Lee Wood. As fascinating as it is quickly infectious with a prime central hook as delicious as the moody enticing of the bass, the track is like a body of water, sonically shimmering in melodic light whilst a more shadow rich undertow works away in the depths of its drama.

   It is a great captivating start that is instantly eclipsed by Revelation, and matched by the following Place To Fall. The first of this pair also opens with a tender hug of melodic and emotive warmth but is soon bringing a thicker weave of melodic metal seeded snarling and technical tenacity to the fore. Thumping beats add intimidation whilst the vocals simultaneously serenade as they roar within the song’s increasingly predatory nature. Departing on a reflective calm, the song passes the brewing greed for the release over to its successor, the third track upon Paper Chain again making its entrance in a gently resourceful manner. The current single from Between Waves, it is easy to hear why its success luring in support, the strength of Helen’s voice and delivery the perfect contrast to the simmering sounds and subsequent spark to their ascent towards a more aggressive and varied metal/rock tapestry.

The final two tracks on the EP ensure there is no dip in pleasure or impressiveness. The creative hostility of Deceiver is first, a contagion of addictive hooks and antagonistic invention incited further by Helen’s fiery tones and the great backing of Richard’s aggression thick vocals. As punchy and menacing as it is, the track equally bewitches with a melodic detour, an eye of the storm like moment as potent and suggestive as the rowdier climate around it.

Fathom brings the release to a mellower close though it too has crescendos of intensity and passion as soaring guitars and anthemic rhythms spring from the song’s atmospheric canvas. There is a familiarity to the track without any obvious reason and this only adds to the undiluted strength of its persuasion and presence, that and the individual prowess of the band and their want to be adventurous in songwriting, sound, and performance.

As you would always wish from a release, Paper Chain just sounds and feels bigger and better with every listen, at times justifying references to the likes of Lacuna Coil and Tool whilst creating their own if not yet distinct voice certainly a presence which stands away from the crowd. There could be a big future for Between Waves if they want it.

The Paper Chain EP is released October 23^rd through all stores.

https://www.facebook.com/BetweenWaves  https://betweenwaves.bandcamp.com

Pete RingMaster 22/10/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Walk In Coma – Narrenturm

Providing plenty for the imagination to get its teeth into as ears are intimidated and aggressively roared into, UK metallers Walk In Coma give us one heftily enjoyable tempest with new EP Narrenturm. Offering a fusion of varied metal and heavy rock flavours within a perpetually mighty bellow of intensity, the release unleashes a raw and caustic climate over a constantly twisting canvas of invention. Inspirations, including Machine Head, Lamb Of God, and Architects, are open within the Walk In Coma sound but it does not prevent Narrenturm being a confrontation bristling with potential and raging freshness.

Hailing from Southend-on-Sea, Walk In Coma was formed in 2006, quickly stirring up support and a potent reputation through their live endeavours across the capital and south of England. The years have seen the quintet also share stages with numerous bands, including of Breed 77 and Funeral For A Friend, alongside their own successful headlining shows. Now a release, already waking attention online, gets to put its big nudge on a national spotlight, Narrenturm attempting to awaken wider flung appetites to back the band’s continuing hunger to play live.

     The release opens with the ambient suggestiveness of Fool’s Tower; the brief instrumental as atmospherically portentous as it is melodically captivating, and growing in intensity with each passing chord to lead ears and thoughts into the bestial jaws of the following Raising Hell. Instantly a Pantera like growl infests a groove loaded assault of sound and attitude, that Machine Head reference a rich tone within the southern spiced temptation. The bass of Tom Case develops a glorious swagger within the track, seemingly inspiring a similar stroll and swing to Mark Elliott and James Cater’s guitar enterprise. It is a compelling and quickly virulent incitement only added to by the ethereal touch of keys and the ferocity of Joe Reid’s beats.

Just as impressive and impacting is the grouchy growl of Alex Adlington’s vocals, a delivery hinting at good variety in his armoury on the first song and realised within next up Nein. As grooves and riffs collude to create an infestation of inescapable persuasion, Adlington reveals a cleaner touch to his prowess yet still with a dirty snarl that can easily slip into predatory antagonism at any given moment. It is a strong essence within the equally imaginative twists and creative throes of the song. There is a touch of Bloodsimple meets Architects to the encounter but equally the grungy/melodic flavouring of a Bush or Gruntruck rears its head at times too.

Asylum lives up to its title straight after, its body of sound accomplished and volatile with a sense of welcome adventurous bedlam to its nature whilst Retreat stalks the senses, its Devildriver meets Mudvayne animus crawls maliciously over the body. In all songs, the heaviness and hostility of the band sound and energy over wraps the imaginative and often sublime craft and invention working away within the storm a touch, but never really defusing the potency and fascination of such elements and ideation, as shown by this gripping pair of tracks.

Narrenturm is concluded by the rapacious furnace of The Fire, a track not quite living up to what came before with consistency but at times sparking a lusty reaction for its persistently riveting musical and emotional ire. The track is all the same a fine end to an increasingly mighty release. It is still early days for Walk In Coma in many ways but they are, according to the thoroughly satisfying Narrenturm, heading in the right direction to bigger success.

Narrenturm is released through all stores on Friday 23rd October.

http://www.walkincoma.co.uk    https://www.facebook.com/walkincoma     http://walkincoma.bandcamp.com/releases  https://twitter.com/walkincoma

Pete RingMaster 22/10/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/