Outright Resistance
There has been a following roar of impressed voices and recommendation to the ascent of UK metallers Outright Resistance within the UK metal scene and especially over recent weeks with the release of the band’s new EP Me Vs I. It is a defiant and aggressive growl of raw groove woven metal often openly suggesting inspirations from bands such as Lamb of God, Chimaira, Stone Sour, August Burns Red, The Agony Scene, and Pantera but unleashing its if not fully unique certainly own kind of irritable sound.
Formed in 2011, the Stevenage bred band soon had debut EP Don’t Eat My Organs stirring up awareness whilst hitting the local live scene with a raw passion. Shows with the likes of Hacktivist and TRC were including in a host of gigs across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and London, all adding to a growing reputation which was invigorated further by last year’s Poveglia EP and especially now through Me Vs I, with being one of six finalists in the 2015 London arm of the Bloodstock Metal to the Masses competition in between.
Me Vs I opens with its title track, a short piece of drama which finds more sense and potency once having journeyed through the whole EP and its honest no punches pulled look at prejudices and ignorance among other things. Maimed In Chelsea is the next proposal and boy does it start off with a wallop, riffs nagging the senses before being quickly joined by thumping rhythms and the grasping roars of vocalist Paige Lee. In no time it is into a grouchy stroll with Pantera-esque grooves entangling harsher rhythmic predation. Backed by the band, Lee continues to orchestrate the venomous nature of the track with her imposing vocal trespasses, the guitars of Michael Worsley and Joe Jacobs creating a contagious web of grooves and riffs for an outstanding full start to the EP which just becomes more addictive and viciously dynamic with each passing minute.
Prove Them Wrong steps forward next, displaying an even eager desire to consume the senses as riffs and the scything beats of Michael O’Neill descend. Soon displaying a more familiar heavy metal nature to its onslaught and melodic toxicity, the track is a hungrily enjoyable canter with the bass of Chris Everett a predatory incitement alongside the growling antagonism of Paige. Missing some of the extra sparks which ignited its predecessor, the song nevertheless leaves a heavily satisfied appetite behind before the outstanding Pain grabs attention next. From its first rhythmic coaxing there is a belligerence and defiance to the character of the song, a tempestuous attitude which fuels riffs and voice but still content to share its moments with spicy melodies and electronic intrigue across an increasingly rousing and enjoyable encounter.
An echo of Paige’s own personal journey having to deal with transphobia, Gee, Dysphoria challenges as it roars, rhythms a concussive assault and riffs a relentless incursion on the senses as vocals uncage an animosity toned but plaintive call for understanding. With melody spiced grooves and fiery enterprise straddling its intensive outpouring of the heart, the song demands attention being soon matched by successor Destiny Is All and in turn outshone by the closing ravaging of Take The Blame.
The first of the two stalks the senses; riffs again a niggling proposition as beats cantankerously swipe and vocals crawl with similar intent over song and listener while the second is a thrash/death metal spiced tempest as virulently catchy as it is violently imposing and bound in short but flavoursome grooves. Standing alongside Maimed In Chelsea as the EP’s best moment and showing the most adventurous nature of all, the song is a fine end to a thoroughly enjoyable release.
Me Vs I lives up to the promise and potential suggested by plaudits towards the band so far, suggesting greater things to come from Outright Resistance while leaving keen enjoyment.
The Me Vs I EP is out now @ https://outrightresistance.bandcamp.com/album/me-vs-i
https://www.facebook.com/OutrightResistanceBand/ https://twitter.com/OR_Band http://www.orband.co.uk/
Pete RingMaster 20/10/2016
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
The creative and physical skills of the artist persistently ignites ears in the song and album but always without offering any indulgence to temper their strength or the organic creativity impresses in the likes of How To Tear Your World From My Head. As the third song begins to flows through ears, initially bass pulses the lone dark protagonist in a misty glaze of harmonic and melodic tempting, things quickly come to boil as rugged rhythms and gravelly riffs collude with wistful keys, provocative guitar, and jazzy bass. The result is an eventful and at times volatile landscape of stirring invention and compelling craft keeping the imagination as busy as ears whilst pushing the already impressing stature of the album to new heights.
From the brief album intro of Master Call, band and release launch at ears with current single Master Of The Game, a song already sparking plaudits and eager attention from fans and media alike. For personal tastes it is one of the less potent songs upon the album but with vocal roars, crisp beats, and feisty riffs aligned to an infectious weave of enterprise, the encounter awakens ears and attention with accomplished ease. The guitar play of Aaron Foy and Phil Smith slip from impressive to irresistible across the sonic bellow of the song whilst vocalist LC Decoy just demands and receives attention with his great mix of old school screams and ferocious snarls entangled in melodic expression.
basslines, rapacious riffing, and combative rhythms, all honed into a prowling entity which sizes up its victim before exploding into fire of musical causticity and vocal threat, the tones of frontman Human Furnace as always living up to his moniker. The song stalks the senses from start to finish, the guitars of Matt Sorg and John Comprix abrasively ravishing air and ears whilst drummer Danny Zink gives them a further mighty battering.
Die is halfway to recruiting a hungry response. Once the gnarled bass tones conjured by Dan Carter and carnal guitar riffs also add their intimidation a major appetite is awoken as passions begin to stir for what is on offer. It is a primal start, one pinpointing and exploiting the rhythmic savage in us, and irresistible lead into the equally rapacious expanse of hungry riffs and melody soaked enterprise which erupts from its temptation. Into full stride the song is an accomplished and magnetic blaze of endeavour, the vocals of LC a firm and expressive antagonist around which the riffs and invention of guitarists Aaron Foy and Phil Smith carve and paint a skilled and pleasing adventure, even if there is nothing dramatically original to the event cast. Despite that it is an impressive and increasingly contagious start which leaves a healthy appetite for what is to follow.
muscles and intent with dramatic grooves and caging rhythms whilst Barnes exploits every syllable of his delivery with a corruptive and intimidating abrasive primal growl. The song whips and scores the ear with accomplished and inventive sonic intimidation crafted into barbed lures which equally seduce and threaten. It is a pleasing start which captures the imagination ready for the following encounters starting with the prowling Prophecy. The track swaggers with spite and devious intent knowing its weaponry of sinewy riffs and hungry rhythms is a seduction hard to resist. The song does make the keenest persuasion and ticks all the boxes a musical appetite has but its failure to find anything unique to really excite slightly defuses its promising strengths a little.