SixTwoSeven – Some Other’s Day EP

Oct18

You cannot just make up real rock ‘n’ roll; it is in the heart as evidenced by Seattle alternative rock outfit SixTwoSeven. You just know it is an instinct in the quartet as their debut EP, Some Other’s Day rumbles through ears to arouse the spirit across four riotous tracks.

Formed in 2016, SixTwoSeven consists of vocalist/lead guitarist Greg “illfunk” Bilderback, his brothers in drummer Matt aka “the Machine” and guitarist Jason aka “J Danger”, and longtime friend Mike “MK Ultra” Knapp. This line-up was actually completed during the recording of Some Other’s Day with producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden) at Soundhouse Studios, Matt coming in for backing vocals and leaving as a fully-fledged member of SixTwoSeven.

The EP itself opens up with One Single Night, instantly luring ears with a dirty riff soon joined by Greg’s grumbling tones. Bass and drums quickly add their moody touches as infectiousness infests all aspects of the emerging track. The song’s swagger is right there grabbing body and spirit, the creative flames of guitar luring the imagination deeper into its own increasingly magnetic prowess. Altogether it is a masterful persuasion and quickly matched by successor Wreckless Soul. It too has a certain confidence in its gait and swing, vocals a lighter invitation in the grungier nature of the song but loaded with the same catchiness as the hooks and riffs flirting boldly alongside.

Joshua’s Song has a calmer personality which its melodic imagination exploits with emotion and invention. The harmonic blend across the band brings extra light to the song and the SixTwoSeven sound, the band showing the variety in their creativity. Admittedly, the song did not quite light the excitement as its companions but it certainly left a strong air of satisfaction before the EP’s best track brings things to a mighty close.

An aggressive slice of punk fuelled rock ‘n’ roll, Top of the World is a virulently contagious incitement which has body and emotions bouncing in quick time. It snarls and entices, prowls and stomps with attitude and zeal ensuring listener involvement is hooked in no time. One of the reasons maybe that the band has been compared to the Weezer and Foo Fighters, the track alone makes SixTwoSeven a prospect to keep a close ear upon; a thought more than reinforced by Some Other’s Day as a whole.

Some Other’s Day is available now @ https://sixtwoseven.bandcamp.com/album/some-others-day

https://www.dubsevenrecords.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SixTwoSeven627

Pete RingMaster 17/10/2017

The Black Clouds – After All

Jan11

TBC_RingMasterReview

Formed in 2004, US rockers The Black Clouds has pretty much persistently and increasingly drawn attention and acclaim with their hearty rock ‘n’ roll, a trend set to be accelerated by the release of new album After All. A fiery yet earthy slab of alternative rock lying somewhere between Foo Fighters and Stone Temple Pilots, the album has all the attributes to become a long term passion for a great many.

Hailing from Monmouth County, New Jersey, The Black Clouds consists of vocalist/guitarist Dan Matthews, guitarist Neil Hayes, bassist Gary Moses, and drummer Cory King. The punkish roar of 2008 debut album Wishing Well set the band up potently in regard to praise and broadening awareness, its adventure and success surpassed by Better Days four years later. A feisty fusion of grunge and hard rock, its impressive elements have been joined by those of its predecessor in the striking attack of After All, a rousing fusion of the familiar with new bold enterprise in an exploit which could and should push The Black Clouds towards a position on the global rock ‘n’ roll map.

Produced by Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden), After All immediately hits the spot with opener Photograph. As riffs and rhythms collude alongside a spicy groove the song quickly captures ears and imagination, Matthews’ vocals are just as swift a lure as the song heads into a chorus gripping listener participation with instant ease. There is no escaping a Nirvana-esque hue to the track’s persuasion but neither the all tenacious Black Clouds freshness as it stirs up imagination and appetite with anthemic prowess.

The following Self Control has a slightly more laid back charge to its presence but too freely uncages piercing hooks and an instinctive snarl to keep the album’s strong start going. Backing vocals potently compliment Matthew’s plaintive tones as the song strolls with controlled vigour, the song reminding a little of UK band Feud, before Sayonara steps forward. From its initial bass growl, the song is a volcanic, punk infested trespass. Raw and intrusive with a fine line in melodic contrasts, lava like grooves, and virulent infectiousness, its briefness is the only anti-climax in an impressive assault.

art_RingMasterReview Leave Her Alone brings a calmer presence to After All next; its body just as catchy with broiling eruptions of intensity adding richer texture to its character while Falling straight after seduces with melodic and harmonic charm. Even in its emotive caress there is an underlying rigour which bolsters the song’s already strong temptation; both tracks revealing the enjoyable variation in the band’s album and sound.

Featuring Mark Arm and Jack Endino, Vice bares its sonic teeth and raw energy next, the song a dirty rock ‘n’ roll grumble carrying the punk attitude of Johnny Thunders aligned to the sonic flames of Dinosaur Jr., before Going Going Gone, with again Endino guesting, dons another Nirvana like colour in its contagious holler. Creating another twist in the album’s landscape, the pair of tracks cements the already memorable presence of After All with the excellent Still Alive reinforcing that success with its grunge/punk ferocity. Rhythmically the track gets under skin scorched by scalding grooves and melodic flames cast by Hayes, traits matched across much of the release as a whole.

The gentler duo of Merchants Of Death and Days Are So Long, the latter seeing Endino, Allison Maryatt, Eric Nutting, and Nate Malubay helping out, bring After All to an enjoyable close if without either quite finding the same sparks to ignite personal tastes as earlier tracks. Nevertheless, the grunge infection of the former and melodic elegance of the equally catchy final track, leave satisfaction high and a want for more bold.

The Black Clouds are at the point in their rise where they are teetering on the broadest recognition, After All looking and sounding like the nudge to see them topple into the biggest spotlights.

After All is out now through Capacitor Records on CD and translucent blue vinyl @ https://capacitorrecords.com/products/black-clouds-after-all

http://www.theblackclouds.com/ https://www.facebook.com/blackcloudsofficial/

Pete RingMaster 10/01/2016

GARS: Gruzy absolutu, rewizja symboli

Dec11

The new album from Polish melodic post hardcore band GARS is a formidable landscape of open emotions and weighted textures which find home in a realm of depressive and shadowed cloaked atmospheres. Dealing with aspects of human tragedy, madness, and personal conflict, it is a release which is fully evocative even though lyrically the Polish only delivery hides the full extent of what one imagines is content as impacting as that of the sounds.

Released on No Sanctuary Records, Gruzy absolutu, rewizja symboli is the second album from the band following on from their debut full length Gdzie akcja rozwija się of last year and their Numer zero EP of 2008. The quintet of vocalist Przemysław Lebiedziński, guitarists Jakub Rusakow and Radek Skowroński, bassist Adam Piskorz, and Miłosz Rusakow on drums, has according to the promo for the new album brought a heavier slower gaited presence than before. This being our first introduction we can only go by that statement but certainly the consuming intensity and fully enveloping richness of the pessimistic coated sounds and massive consumption permeating them gives firm evidence to this evolution of the band’s sound. It is a superbly crafted blend of raging aggression and melodic elegance seamlessly and skilfully entwined for an impressive and enthralling result. As raw as it is heatedly engaging, the album is a triumph which lights up the passions and without doubt one of the highlight releases of the year.

Mixed and mastered by producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Skin Yard, Mudhoney), the album has a clear and uncluttered sound which allows all the subtle and imagination elements to find clarity and union within the harsh uncompromising overall breath of the release. It starts with the initially blistered air of opener 101112, an instrumental which connects to and ignites emotions, its tonal evocation and melodramatic strings inspiring dark imagery. This merges into the following confrontation of 270492. The track begins with the same subdued whisper of the starter around a spine of sinewy rhythms and hard staring bass riffs. Into its stride the song brews a caustic cloud of sonic grazing and vocal squalls, all short of furnace intensity but fully impacting in their effect. Continuing to blend the gentler and coarser elements with ease the track is a potent full beginning to the release.

The stark yet fiery stances of 280908 and 111111 both capture the imagination next with their sizzling hot guitar weaves, prowling basslines, and drums which are as uncompromising as they are unpredictably inventive. The first of the two has a shifting distressed presence with despondence, anger, and darkness of the heart pervading ingredients upon the senses. It is the melancholic strings which kiss the air at the climax of the track though which leave the biggest impression to fire up further emotive thoughts. The second is a similarly shaped track in sound which a twist of dual vocals to its passage and great drone like qualities to the groove which appears throughout, not forgetting the ferocious climactic fire it finishes on. If there is any ‘flaw’ with the release it is a similarity in what are admittedly few rather than many moments on the album but it can at times cause a blending of songs if not giving full focus to them as with this pair.

This is not something you can place upon the best track on the album 01054. It is an abrasive pleasure, every member spoiling peace with their distinct intimidating skills and corrosive sounds. The first part of the song is a crawling sonic infestation which evolves into the eventual groove metal beast of insidious infectiousness and mesmeric contagious grooves. It is a glorious violation which out shines the other impressive slabs of excellent aural attitude.

Completed by the sprawling density and acid of 260112, the synapse challenging climate of 271005, and 120399 with the returning strings accompanied by a gorgeous female voice again emerging the senses in overwhelming yet magnetic atmospheres, the album is an outstanding encounter which fans of bands ranging from Neurosis, Amen Ra, and Deftones will find a deep resonance with. Accomplished in quality and individual skills, and powerful in ambience and atmospheric manipulation, Gruzy absolutu, rewizja symboli is a should investigate release.

https://www.facebook.com/thegarsi

RingMaster 11/12/2012