Coma « The RingMaster Review

British alternative rockers Zebedy have been on a steady and upward climb since emerging in 2008, previous releases alone establishing the North Wales outfit as one of UK’s most promising propositions. Now they have new EP, Set The Pace doing the persuading; a release which sees the band pushing their sound and invention to new heights to make the biggest nudge on major spotlights yet.

From Conwy, Zebedy initially comprised of guitarist/vocalist Jonny Harding-Smith, bassist/vocalist Dave Harding-Smith, and drummer Tom Dyson and through their jams created progressively nurtured instrumental soundscapes. Subsequently adding vocals, the trio also expanded ranks with the addition of guitarist/vocalist Ben Chamberlain. 2011 saw the release of debut album Exist, its release supported by an extensive UK tour. Its well-received outing was followed by the This Is My City EP which only increased their reputation with second album Marionette subsequently making an even bigger impact. Embracing inspirations from the likes of Karnivool, Reuben, Fightstar, and Biffy Clyro for a multi-flavoured rock and metal bred sound as unpredictable as it is rousing, and coming off successful shows alongside the likes of Psychostick, Soil, Closure In Moscow, COMA, and Brutai, Zebedy look ready to take things to the next level with Set The Pace to the fore.

The EP opens up with its title track, distant vocals running to ears with emotive urgency before guitars spin their wiry web and rhythms rumble with boisterous imagination. Pretty quickly it is easy to see where those Reuben and Karnivool influences come in, though in many ways the song offers a lively enterprise more akin to At The Drive In meets The Martini Henry Rifles. The track continues to twist and turn keeping the listener hooked and guessing, every change an organic shift from what was before. Vocals singularly and together impress as potently as the sounds and craft building the EP’s striking start with the antics of the bass a particularly appetising essence to personal tastes.

The following Of Revelations has a more controlled and restrained body compared to the tempestuous character of its predecessor but equally its blend of metal toned grooves and heavy rock riffs build a highly tempting canvas for the track’s progressive and melodic enterprise to conjure greater adventure. It is a slice of muscular rock ‘n’ roll which also swings from one imaginative endeavour to another, never staying in one style of attack or flavouring for long but making each a memorable moment to greedily lock on to.

The brief instrumental of In is pretty much the lead into final track Bloom, its melodic suggestion a stirring appetiser for the compelling drama of its successor where a tempest of rhythms trespass as sonic espionage grabs and twists the imagination. Within that trap ears bask in a cauldron of technical dynamics and impassioned energy and fair to say, as with all tracks, the more time they spend with the proposal the greater richness of its layers and the fresh nuances they bring are discovered within another truly captivating experience.

For all their bold moves and rich textures, the songs are also virulently infectious, the band sealing a real catchiness to their enterprise which has the body bouncing as ears explore. The thoughts of others are that Zebedy is about to break into the biggest attention and we can only say that Set The Pace offers nothing to derail that suggestion.

Set The Pace is available from September 15^th @ https://zebedy.bandcamp.com/album/set-the-pace

https://www.facebook.com/zebedymusic/

Pete RingMaster 15/09/2017

With an obvious eagerness it was suggested that attention was given to the new album from Italian rock band Sunday Recovery sooner rather than later. On hearing Coma, the debut album from the quartet, this slightly less than forceful thought was understandable and appreciated, as Sunday Recovery have recorded a release that shows a very talented and skilful band and one who ooze promises of great things to come. It might not be a complete album in some ways but it is one of the more inspiring and certainly one of the most enjoyable that has seen the light this year so far.

The band formed in 2009 upon the collaboration between composer Gianluca Cucchiara, singer Mirko Petrini and guitarist Fabio Staffieri. Upon the addition of drummer Fabio Testaferrata and bass player Emanuele Nazzaro, the four musicians immediately began work on their debut album. The time and hard work that went into it obvious and clearly seen on the eleven extremely well written and presented tracks that make up Coma. Emotive lyrics and sounds alongside addictive hooks, riffs and engaging melodies sweep from every track ensuring the ear and senses never have a moment to lose interest or be distracted. Lyricist Andrew James Whelan came in to work on the words with Petrini, Staffieri and Tancredi Gaetani to form lyrics that would touch senses outside of their native land as powerfully as for their countrymen. The proof to their success is in a well rounded and powerful album that touches more than just the ear drums.

Sunday Recovery hit the floor running with the opening two tracks ‘Private Joke’ and ‘I Know Better’, immediately proving the band and Coma are worthy of your full attention. The first track is a song seemingly in cruise control, the bands confidence and total control of their abilities driving the song forward eagerly bringing striking riffs, a delicious beckoning bass line, and Petrini’s great vocals. Other slower and more emotion fuelled tracks show his voice off to great effect but which ever attack the band bring he adds a touch that means more than just ears react to the songs. The latter of the two songs opens on a neat Alice In Chains sound expanding into an expressive track completed by a sing-a-long chorus that defies you not to join in.

These two tracks are the strongest and most satisfying on the release apart from the irrepressible and addictive track ‘Pornstar’ later on the album with its excellent choppy crashing guitars and a sexy bassline your partner would be jealous of. Because of the fast and powerful start there is a sense of a drop in intensity in the release from then on in, not due to quality but more the positions of certain tracks in the list. The slower, dramatic tracks are often side by side and over a complete listen of Coma it is noticeable and often the urge to break them up by forwarding to a song with more punch then returning is hard to resist.

There are no poor songs on the album though, that should be made clear, the power and emotion of the title track, the heart touching ‘Another Place’, and the pulse driven ‘In Front Of You’ all stir the blood in their varied ways and tempos, each a strong mix amongst themselves and within their own musical walls. The last of the three features Porcupine Tree bassist and fan Colin Edwin, as does also ‘Side C’, bringing a different flavour to their mix.

Listed influences for the band and others mentioned as references include the likes of Porcupine Tree, Muse, Manic Street Preachers and Radiohead and all can be heard in different degrees at times but the one band that really comes over is Poets Of The Fall. Many times as Coma played one could hear parts that would find a ready home in the Finnish bands songbook and vice versa to be fair.

Coma is released on October 3^rd via Mazepa Records and really that day should only consist of finding it and listening intently so you can discover the promise and joy that is Sunday Recovery.

RingMaster 08/09/2011