The promo received tagged Raised by Wolves as set in the hard rock genre but it took little time to prove much more diverse and ambitious than that suggests, and also that it is one aggressively enjoyable encounter.
Raised by Wolves is the first of two EPs from Servant Leader, the solo project of Leigh Oates (vocalist of Xilla, Soldierfield, Rise To Addiction and Ninedenine). Offering five ear grabbing tracks, it is boldly fertile with a sound as much grunge and metal as it is rock bred. It makes for a potent and powerful proposition which swiftly had ears gripped through EP opener Daybreak.
Initially the first track rhythmically entices, from a distance shaping intrigue until a few seconds later it stands eye to eye with the senses and uncages its full hungry presence. As those rhythms continue to bite, grooves and melodic enticement is woven around the distinctive and ever magnetic tones of Oates. With keys just as enterprisingly involved and hooks unleashed with almost feral intent, the track proved immediate captivation and only tightened its hold with melodic and harmonic dexterity, a Soundgarden meets Skyscraper scenting around its worldly observation extra irresistibility.
Boundaries quickly follows, a roar erupting from its first breath in voice and sound to instantly engage keen attention. With boisterous energy, eager rhythms set the tone of its contagion, guitars and bass aligning in suggestive enterprise as Oates ignites the air with his resourceful tones. Again there is a certain grunge nurtured graining to its melodic rock bred body, the subsequent melody spun twists virulent captivation in nothing but riveting enticement.
Immediately August Parade stamped its authority on attention, the melodic twang of guitar soon followed by the swing of heavy beats and the richer wiry lures escaping guitars as vocals set their insightful contemplation within an Alice in Chains-esque sunset of sound and vibrancy. As its predecessor, the track sets a striking moment within the EP, success quickly emulated by next up Siamese with its rousing and voracious metal steeled rock ‘n’ roll. At times melodic winds temper the tempest but only to escalate the song’s addictive nature and imagination, the later a perpetually evolving treat in a similarly twisting body.
Raised by Wolves closes out with That Girl, a track which maybe has a touch of Stone Temple Pilots to it but proves as individual and rousing as those before it. By now it was proving no surprise that Oates was embroiling a host of varied flavours in his invention wolfish and sound whilst entangling his esurient tones sounds and no surprise that again ears were feasting on a moment in time which left a lingering and enterprising mark on thoughts and a greedy appetite for more which hopefully will soon come our way courtesy of the now highly anticipated Part 2.
Raised by Wolves – Part 1 is available now.
http://www.servantleaderband.com
Pete RingMaster 26/03/2020
Copyright RingMasterReview: MyFreeCopyright
It is an outstanding start to the album and remained our favourite moment though fair to say the likes of the following Freak Out certainly hit the spot. A gravelly hard rock spicing brings the track forward; a touch of Gruntruck meets Seether adding to its initial lure and the subsequent infectious stroll it offers for ears and vocal chords to jump upon. With its dirty breath and spiralling guitar enterprise, the song easily got under the skin, that earthy tone of the bass again a magnetic essence before Dark Parade engages the imagination in its heavy, steely trespass. Like a fusion of early Mudvayne and Skinyard, it crawls across the senses as rhythms take their bite before uncaging a truly virulent chorus which just accentuates another irresistible moment within the release.
Defiance urging incitement and spirit erupts in the following Revolt!, the track as feral as it is skilfully composed in its intent and craft. Whipping up a storm, drummer Jason Bernard drives the rebellion of song and word with glee whilst the bass of Dominiek Hoet is a snarling predator in the mix of temptation and riot, they together inciting the epidemic of untamed contagion unleashed. Even so, its virulence is eclipsed by that of Desertsurfer and with almost immediate effect. From the first second the track is an unapologetic weave of addictive hooks and grooves wrapped in melodic and harmonic temptation yet as all songs is wired with muscle and attitude bordering on the confrontational.
How did you approach our latest release in terms of writing and recording?
Blow Joe is next up and straight away drums tease and tempt, their beats an infectious coaxing matched by the glorious lure of the bass. Swiftly the guitar casts melodic strokes across their irresistible dark bait before the track opens up a web of hooks and grooves, a hard rock infusion erupting upon the compelling landscape.
The EP opens up with its title track, Penny Drop initially stroking ears with fuzz loaded riffs before the same guitar begins deviously scything across the senses as the tones of vocalist/guitarist Jimi Trimmer break. Simultaneously the tenaciously strolling beats of drummer Aidan McGill erupt alongside the just as sturdy bassline of Lewis Patterson, guitarist Issak Patternson continuing to tease and tempt alongside the lures of Trimmer. Just as you think you have a handle on the song, it twists into a whole new channel of virulence to manipulate and seduce, never once taking its foot off its imagination and feverish enterprise.
Such its mighty roar and success, the following three tracks sit in its shadow but fair to say there is little about each which fails to bring added pleasure to the EP. Mountain Song is the following encounter, a blues tinged groove emerging from sonic air to spark another body trespassing, keenly infectious canter. Again the vocals play a big part in any tempting but similarly guitar and rhythms imaginatively shape a song which settles rather enjoyably in the ears.