Formed in 2013, British outfit Elephant Memoirs have honed an ear grabbing sound which has grown release by release. New EP, No Pressure No Rush continues that successful trend, offering up six of the band’s most potent and imaginative songs yet.
Hailing from Gateshead, the trio of vocalist/guitarist John Aspinall, bassist Carl Aspinall, and drummer Barry Drew create a thoughtful style of alternative rock which has seen them already compared to the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Biffy Clyro, Placebo, and Queens Of the Stone Age. As No Pressure No Rush suggests, it has not found its unique character yet but there is no denying that each song provides individual and imaginative adventure.
Recorded with Kyle Martin at The Garage Studios in South Shields, No Pressure No Rush opens with Homework. A vocal hush ignites an attention luring pulse of guitar which in turn sparks a composed stroll of swinging rhythms and alluring sonic causticity. The potent vocals of John nestle within the raw flames, the track continuing to almost lumber along. It is an intrigue provoking proposition which certainly had us firmly attentive and animated if not quite as excited as later in the release.
Pink is a vocal repetition of the EP’s title within a sonic trespass. Brief yet suggestive, it leads the imagination into the awaiting pop rock of A Little Metaphor. John is again a strong clean lure against the scuzzy exploits of his guitar, Carl and Barry creating thick rhythmic bait stirring song and appetite alike. As it swings along, it is easy to hear why those earlier mentioned comparisons arise; all adding to the infectious song’s strong appeal. There is muscle and depth to its catchy body though which easily engages the imagination, a richness of textures just as bold within its captivating successor Ether. With drama in every twist and enterprise in every turn, the song grabs best track honours, the fire in its body alone seriously compelling.
The release concludes with firstly Orange, a lead of sonic pulsation and melodic intimation luring ears into the infectious rock ‘n’ roll saunter of Complete Resonsibility. Though it lacks the spark of the preceding pair, the EP closer easily hooks keen attention with its tenacious and arousing character, sparking a bounce in the body to match its own.
It is a fine skilfully accomplished end to a release which is potential stocked and craft laden. Elephant Memoirs is still growing and brewing their sound whilst continuing to create highly pleasurable proposals such as No Pressure No Rush. It is a journey we for one are thoroughly enjoying.
Whether you wish to call the sound of UK outfit SickJoy post-grunge, alternative rock or whatever, it is one healthily captivating form of rock ‘n’ roll which going by the band’s debut EP is destined for eager attention. The four-track rich Amateurs EP is a tenacious and eagerly infectious proposition weaving essences of bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Feeder and The Pixies into one individual if not quite unique offering; all the time suggesting a band with potent horizons ahead.
Formed 2016 in Newcastle, the band relocated to Brighton and quickly made their presence felt on the local and surrounding music scene including playing a sell-out debut show in their new home town. The Amateurs EP is a potent introduction and nudge on national attention and needs little time to arouse personal interest with opener Senses. A scratch of guitar springs a lo-fi melody and swiftly after a full surge of riffs and rhythms. The growl of Danny Pitson’s bass instantly accentuates the song’s instinctive lure upon its touch, guitarist Mykl Barton’s lead vocals as inviting as they roar upon and prowl the now composed canter of the song with zeal and energetic relish. There is something familiar to the track yet is as fresh as a bracing wind with its crystalline harmonics, lusty tenacity, and flirtatious snarl.
Lead single Smiling Shame follows with its own outbreak of stirring riffs and enterprise. The crisp beats of Drew Michael persistently tap on the senses as the guitar weaves a web of melodic temptation, aligning its grooved suggestion to the dirtier antics of the bass. With surges of almost carnivorous intent and volatile roars, the song ignites its calmer body with rich imagination and though it never quite matches up to the excellence of its predecessor has ears and appetite well satisfied.
The poppier rock of Karma & Ketamine has hips swaying and feet tapping within its first breath; both continuing to get involved as the song keenly smoulders and simmers, bursting into fiery intent from time to time. There is volatility in its depths and heart, vocals echoing that undercurrent and boisterously embracing it at times. Michael’s rhythmic bait is compelling throughout, as every ingredient within the increasingly compelling encounter, but really stirs the spirit as they bring the track to a magnetically riveting conclusion.
They also bring the final track into view in fine style, a metronomic coaxing soon joined by Barton’s magnetic vocals and scuzz lined guitar tempting. With a Queens Of The Stone Age hue to its twists and turns, Stumbler skilfully lurches at and baits the listener into involved submission in no time. It too wears a recognisable if yet to be defined scent to its ballsy rock ‘n’ roll yet creates its own character as it brings one richly enjoyable potential loaded debut to a fine close.
The press release for Amateurs declares it “a joyous four-track ride” and SickJoy as marking “themselves as ones to watch.” We can only wholeheartedly agree to both.
The Amateurs EP is out now via SaySomething Records.
If you ever have thoughts that real rock ‘n roll is on the wane a quick listen to the new album from British rockers The Sourheads will soon make you think again. Care Plan For The Soul is a nine-track debut full-length, a skilfully and passionately woven roar of classic and fresh rock diversity which snarls as it seduces, thrills as it trespasses ears and imagination. Through our friend Garry at SaN, we had the chance to dig deeper into The Sourheads with guitarist MIK CRONE, exploring the band’s origins, digging into the heart of Care Plan For The Soul, The Sourheads live and more….
Hi Mik and big thanks for taking time to chat with us.
Can you, for those yet to be invaded by your rock ‘n’ roll, first introduce the band?
Jake on vocals, Mik on Guitar, Ben on Bass and Lamb on Drums.
We are The Sourheads and we come from Wakefield West Yorkshire. We are a rock band who take influence from the greats and add our own twist. We like to think of ourselves of somewhat multi-genre and we don’t want to be seen as just one specific style of music. A career band like The Stones or The Who dip into different things but still stay true to who they are…So yea we are a rock band who give it our all live.
The band is said to have emerged in 2016 but does its seeds go further back?
The version of The Sourheads now is the result of many years building. Like Oasis the original version was Jake [Coxon]our singer and his brother Sid who played guitar. They had a string of musicians throughout a short period of time. I first came into the picture as a producer for the band. I had been working with various bands and the early version of the band struck me as a very different but awesome set of musicians. I felt with direction the band could be massive. Around this time I was asked to join as a second guitarist and a month later Sid left. So at this point we upped our game and decided to focus on a solid tight band and work on the debut album. The Sourheads you see now emerged in 2016.
Is The Sourheads your first ventures in a band or do you all bring various previous experiences and explored styles of music to the mix?
Everyone in The Sourheads has been in other bands before and we are all have different musical influences. This has proved a major asset in creating the sound and style of The Sourheads.. I had a small amount of success with a metal band I was in. Lamb [Chris Lambert] our drummer was in a relatively successful Indi band. Ben [Taylor] has a more Pearl Jam grunge influence and has played bass forever and grew up jamming with his brother Simon (Inme) and Jake has always been a creative person singing and painting and as I, is more 70s inspired through bands such as The Doors, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple. The combination of these different influences creates the originality of our band. We are what we are.
What inspired the band name?
A Sourhead can be interpreted a number of ways. Bitter and twisted, hungover. There is no deep meaning behind the name.
Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?
As a band we feel that it is easy to be stereotyped into a genre. We don’t necessarily want that as we are all influenced by different styles of music. What we want to do is wear our hearts on our sleeves and be 100% true to what we are. Our image and sound isn’t contrived, it is pure. Our front man is a character and is like that 24/7.
As a band we have evolved over time and we are now as sharp as a razor. In the last few months we have really tweaked everything so that it is the best we can offer. Little things like changing guitar sounds or what bass amp we use. We are always trying to give the best live performances we can. Through time you learn how to fine tune every aspect of the band.
Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?
Before I joined the band the sound was more indie influenced. When I joined we rocked it up considerably. The band used to jam and have beers and chill out more. Since we started writing the debut album and got the record deal we became more focused. It is important to be professional at rehearsals. As a result we worked on emphasising certain parts of songs, making them tighter and adding dynamics.
Has it been more of an organic movement of sound or more the band deliberately wanting to try new things?
We have always tried different styles of music when we write. Some songs sound like the Rolling Stones others sound like Black Sabbath. It depends on who comes up with the first ideas, riffs etc at some point we will bring the Synths and organ back out. Everything we do usually comes from a groove, guitar riff etc
You have just released your debut album, Care Plan For The Soul. From its first breath it shares a multi-flavoured, refreshingly dirty and just a little salacious roar of sound and intent; a mix which suggests a varied range of inspirations to the band and individual members. Who particularly stands out as having an impact on your approach to making music?
We take our inspiration from different places. Jake is a massive Doors fan, Lamb is into his classic British Indi music; Ben is also a fan of different styles of music. I look up to any band that has strong songs. Stone Temple Pilots are a massive influence for me. Deftones, Queens of the Stone Age, The Cult, Shed Seven, Oasis, Clutch. We use many colours to create our art.
How would you describe your sound to newcomers?
Iggy and the Stooges mixed with the Sex Pistols thrown into a blender with The Stereophonics and Nirvana.
Classic Rock with an edge.
It feels like it just follows its nose, always prepared to embrace fresh and unpredictable flavours. Is this something you deliberately set out to purposefully develop or a sound and direction which just grew and evolved organically?
We are what we are. People either get it or don’t. One review says we are original and have rewritten the rule book of what a rock band should be. The other will say they don’t get us. Why do we look like we do and why does the artwork not match the music. Well the answer is we are totally focussed and we are 100% us. Everything is totally focused and this is what we do, our sound and direction develop naturally. Luckily our label saw this and our friends like Red Spektor saw this. So it’s better to have a loyal friendship and business partnership and have loyal listeners than to be fake and try to jump on a scene.
How long was Care Plan For The Soul in the making?
We had a lot of time rehearsing and making sure we could play the songs. We could play without vocals, with vocals, without bass or without guitar and obviously all of us together…Probably 3 months of pre-production and a week to record.
It has an instinctive snarl to its air and open rawness to its energy; at times feeling like it may have been recorded live. How did you approach its creation in the studio?
We decided early on that the band has a live energy that needed to be captured so we decided to record live and then delete the guide vocal and do a main vocal later. I also overdubbed a second guitar rhythm track to fatten the overall mix. We also added congas and cello in the overdub stage.
Can you give us an insight into the trials and pleasing surprises you found when recording the album?
We worked with a wonderful producer called Matt Knee and we used an old 70’s BBC mixing desk, this gave us a warmth that we were pleasantly surprised by. We wanted initially to record full analogue but as we wanted to play live we decided it’s may be better to do it digitally but through old analogue gear. This was due to the fact that digital is instant and we knew we had to keep in budget for our business plan to be effective. We needed to make sure everyone was comfortable and the atmosphere was good. We had incense burning and lava lamps. Pretty laid back.
It was subsequently mastered by Pete Maher (The Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, U2) and released through German Label Kozmik Artifactz. How did those link ups come about?
Pete Maher has worked with everyone and we liked the fact that he worked within multiple genres. Katy Perry, Pink Floyd, Linkin Park are a few of his varied clientele and he had just finished mastering the LA LA Land soundtrack. We knew that attracting a big name would gain us attention and Pete does great deals for up and coming bands. It seemed like a great idea and he did an amazing job. Around this time we became close friends with Red Spektor and their manager Simon. They were saying good things about us in interviews and we were starting to get noticed. I sent a private link of the album to a number of labels and pretty much instantly Kai at Kozmik Artifactz messaged back saying ‘We don’t usually release this style but we think you would fit our sister label Oak Island perfectly so we did the deal and we are honoured to be part of the Kozmik Artifactz Oak Island family. The label is having great success with bands like Church of the Cozmic Skull and of course our brothers Red Spektor.
Can you give us the inspiration for the album title and some of the themes within its body?
We felt that the title had to reflect the song content. Our drummer Lamb came up with it. The songs are pretty intense in parts and cover lots of topics such as Demonic Possession, Marriage Breakdowns, War veterans, soul stealing creatures. When you take this into consideration and then see the album cover is a lone figure stood in the middle of the beach with his dog it’s kind of like that is the care plan for his soul. He is escaping the turmoil.
Is there a particular songwriting process within the band?
Pretty much straight forward…Ben or me write a riff or two. Lamb plays a beat. We arrange the song, record it on a phone then Jake writes the lyrics.
Apart from obvious pride and satisfaction in Care Plan For The Soul is there a particular moment within it which gives you a specific personal flush of inner pleasure?
The whole thing is a major flush of inner pleasure. We set out with a goal and we achieved it on budget and we didn’t move away from our art and vision one bit. This is amazing to us. To have a vinyl copy of the album in my hands and look at the finished product gives me goosebumps. The fact that the digital streaming numbers are good too also feels good. We want to get out to as many people as possible. From the actual recording there are a few moments I like. I think some of the vocal delivery is the best Jake has ever been. The rush created when he shouts I am the Lotus! That’s a fan favourite moment.
Give us an insight into the live side of the band?
We are told we are extremely good live. Jake is a bare chested beast of a frontman, live truly something that has to be seen and heard. We are very tight and play as close to the album as we can get. I like the idea that we are four individual characters and that as a member of the audience you can get what you are looking for from us. We put a lot into it. I’m swinging my arm in the air and running around; Jake is in the crowd or rolling around on the floor. Ben is grooving away and lam is bashing the living daylights out of the kit. We are an old fashioned rock band. We put on a show.
Obviously the album is in its early days inviting attention but what is next on the horizon of The Sourheads?
We are hoping to tour throughout 2018 and play some festivals. Do a couple of music videos and keep writing. We have 3 songs written for the next album already. We have also experimented with slightly different sounds. Some old school style Stones vibe.
It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods?
The most important thing to do is gig swap with other bands throughout the country. There are so many bands who are hometown heroes. That’s all very good if it is a hobby but not so if you want to leave a lasting impression and have your legacy respected. What we have found is the more we play the small festivals, the more the promoters share the information. There is a really healthy underground rock scene in the UK at the moment and everybody seems to be looking out for everybody else.
How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date; is a battle which has to be waged or a constant weapon for success?
Social media is great if the people already know about you. In the last few years the pay to get hits and advertise your band has really hurt the artist. The idea that you pay £50 to get 300 likes in Indonesia isn’t helping anybody. We have had musical instrument companies say you need so many likes on Facebook for us to consider you. This along with people not actually going on bands websites anymore means companies like Facebook and Instagram pretty much have the Monopoly on online presence. Bandcamp seems to work and I would encourage other bands to check it out if they haven’t already. Webzines like yours also help a great deal. I would say use social media but don’t let it be the basis of promoting your band.
Again many thanks for sharing your time; any last words you would like to add?
Thank you for showing interest in the band. We truly appreciate every website, magazine radio station that helps us spread our message and music. We are fans of music and do this because we love playing and creating our art. People like you keep the musical torch burning bright. There is a buzz and new found enthusiasm for rock music and we want to embrace this whole heartedly.
A Time Will Come is the new EP from French outfit Noydem, a release coming three years after the band’s debut album. Formed in 2011, the Paris quartet create alternative rock which embraces an array of flavours for, as evidenced by their new release, a quite appetising adventure.
A year after emerging, Noydem unveiled their first EP in the shape of The Landing, its keenly welcomed release followed the next year by an even more eagerly received self-titled album. It is fair to say that the foursome of vocalist/guitarist Julien Prouveze, lead guitarist Gia Vcgr, bassist Jules Brosset, and drummer Joffrey Hebert has yet to awaken major attention outside of the French rock scene but an awakening A Time Will Come has a great chance of stirring.
Themed by “the feeling of people struck with ostracism in today’s society”, A Time Will Come offers five tracks of infectious rock starting with Welcome Home. A deep groan of bass and crisp percussion draws the equally alluring scythes of guitar and Prouveze’s strongly enticing vocals, it all uniting in a subsequent earthy stroll with flirtatious hooks entwined in infectious grooves. Immediately captivating and increasingly virulent by the second, song and sound tempt and seduce with lively enterprise, electronic additives adding to its inescapable contagion.
The excellent start is quickly matched by next up Bring Me Down. From its flirtatious start with seriously tempting rhythmic bait, the track catches alight with stoner lit grooves and industrial rock essences teasing a bold rock ‘n’ roll stroll. The electronic attributes of its predecessor come with greater voice, bringing a pop rock celebration sparking even greater infectiousness in the song’s character and antics.
The EP never quite reaches the heights of its first pair of songs again but only pleases and impresses as the likes of Stay with its calmer, reflective electronic/alternative rock grab attention. At times a suggestive simmer and in turn a dynamic blaze, the song is little short of an aural magnet with moments of major temptation.
The shimmering balladry of Your Other Self is more of a slow burner but never less than persistent captivation while closing track A Place to Live has the listener and EP bouncing with its own mix of emotive deliberation and physical dexterity. It too needs a touch more time to get under the skin compared to the first trio of tracks but worm into appetite and psyche it does.
Inspirations to Noydem include the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens Of The Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Incubus, and Audioslave, spicing often easy to hear within A Time Will Come but theirs is a sound which is developing its own character very nicely with the prospects of major attention increasing release by release.
A Time Will Come is out now on iTunes and other stores.
Having just been introduced to former Thirteen Shots frontman Johnny Rose’s new project in Blast Bomb we now have the new endeavour from its guitarist Lewis Manchip for you. That proposition is Mammoth Temple and they have just released their rather appetising debut EP, We’re Not Extinct. Echoing the band’s name in many ways, it is a lure of heavy boned rock ‘n’ roll worshipping the seduction of the groove and the growl of the riff, a fuzz rich proposal caked in the dirt of grunge and veined by stoner bred tendrils of melodic suggestion. It is also a potent introduction to the band and one which gets more compelling by the second.
Formed by Lewis and vocalist/bassist Dave, Midlands hailing Mammoth Temple is completed by the thunderous swings of drummer Ben. Initially taking their time to hone their sound, the trio have emerged with a live presence which is swiftly luring keen attention and plaudits, and now with a first release which is as thick in potential as it is already flourishing prowess and enterprise.
It opens up with Meat Promotion and instantly entangles ears in a flavoursome groove. With robust rhythms and throbbing bass that beginning is a sign of things to come in song and release. The blend of mellow vocals adds to a Queens Of The Stone Age like hue to the grunge meets heavy rock stroll of the track, the guitar continuing to cast wiry grooves and melodically sharp bait for ears and appetite to get hooked up on. It is a seriously infectious and captivating start which is more than matched by next up Wiping Out. Its psych rock kissed entrance is pure temptation, the skirting shadows intrigue against the vocal prowess of Dave and Lewis’ expressive melodies. With fiery flames igniting across its catchy gait and imaginative body, the song continues to blossom in imagination and craft. It might not be boldly unique but the song as the EP has a freshness and adventure to it which hints of such success ahead.
The mellower caress of Reflections is courted by the great dark shadowed throb of bass and volatility in Ben’s beats which never erupts but magnetically stalks the melancholic beauty of the song’s heart and touch. A song which just grows over time and listens, it brings another enticing aspect to the Mammoth Temple sound which only grows when the track does uncage its muscle.
The EP is concluded by firstly Promises, a distant rumble increasingly consuming ears as it looms closer and incites the imagination as blues rock ivy clings to its tenacious body and scuzzy skin. Another grower, it does not quite match up to those before it yet lingers in the memory with ease through its Jesus and Mary Chain meets Alice In Chains glaze alone.
How We Are completes the pleasure, it needing mere seconds to hook the appetite with its initial Soundgarden-esque melodic coaxing. From there, its simmering fire grows and intensifies with psych and stoner rock winds blowing across its rhythmic kindling and harmonic haze. As ever, there is a darker hue to its depths and emotion contrasting superbly with its brighter easily invited trespasses. The song is superb, a big end to a fine first union with Mammoth Temple.
It is early days but the signs are already hinting at a potent future for the band and rich adventures for us all alongside.
Formed in the march of last year, UK outfit The Night Suns make their major introduction this month with debut EP, Human. It is a first look which tickles attention first time around, flirtatiously teases it on the second listen, and carries if off under its arm thereon in with three songs which are shadow clad, emotionally intense, and inescapably infectious.
Described as alternative rock, The Night Suns sound slips nicely between industrial rock and grunge, kind of like a blend of Gravity Kills and Stone Temple Pilots with an eager vein of Queens Of The Stone Age running through it. It is a mix of the familiar and unique which emerges as something openly individual to the London based quartet. The creation of vocalist/guitarist Radu Constantin, its line-up was quickly completed by the addition of ex-Telepathy bassist player Krys Turek, drummer Marky Zanna, and synth player Freddy Ciocoiu. Established as a lively and keenly supported proposition on the Capital’s live scene, The Night Suns are now ready to poke wider attention with their Tom Donovan (Foreign Beggars, Dani Filth, Animal Noise, Monster Florence) recorded EP, something not too hard to see Human achieving.
It opens up with Smoke, a track which instantly engulfs ears in rich melodies and tenacious rhythms. That grunge hue soon soaks its invitation, stoner spicing lining its lures as the vocals of Constantin entice with a warm yet darkly reflective edge. His guitar is an equally potent tempting, fiery flames searing the throb of bass, swing of beats, and the harmonic mist of keys. All together, the ingredients make for a captivating web of sound becoming more intriguing and beguiling minute by minute.
As strong and enticing as it is, the opener is quickly put in the shade by next up My Blood Is Cold. Instantly a shadow wraps ears and imagination but a dark synth and emotive shading as inviting as it is seemingly crestfallen. Easy to immerse in its noir caress things subsequently ignite in a blaze of snarling rock ‘n’ roll, the magnetic cycle repeated to great effect and pleasure as another weave of varied flavours get involved in creative drama and suggestive theatre, the outstanding song is a tapestry of adventure and real enterprise.
The EP’s self-titled closing track is just as richly appealing, its opening Sick Puppies-esque croon leading to a stroll of imagination and melodic angst lined by troubled shadows. Once more its accomplished and powerful rock ‘n’ roll is built on multi-flavoured inspirations delivered with passion and energy. As suggested, it might not be an overly unique proposition but its body and heart alone just grab the appetite and imagination, adding to an emerging individualism which flows within song and music and its potential to really ignite further down the line.
The Night Suns is a band which just calls out for closer attention and real anticipation for their next steps; the Human EP a striking and thickly enjoyable start to that journey.
Bringing together the highly recognised talent of certain individuals from various acclaimed bands does not always guarantee something special but in the case of Bloodclot, it feels a given such the instinctive union between its collective. The band is the coming together of Cro-Mags vocalist John Joseph, former Danzig and Murphy’s Law guitarist Todd Youth, drummer Joey Castillo formerly of Queens of the Stone Age, Danzig, and Eagles of Death Metal, and Mondo Generator frontman and ex- Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss bassist Nick Oliveri. Together they confirm that given with debut album Up in Arms, a physical and lyrical roar of hardcore defiance.
Unleashing twelve ravenous slices of punk rock with more inescapable hooks than found in Leatherface’s pantry, all fuelled by raw irritability at the state of the world today, Up in Arms is a crowd uniting battle cry. It fuses familiar essences with the fresh appetite and invention of a quartet seemingly destined to come together at some point. Everything about it is as organic as it is rabid, as challenging as it is rousing; taking no prisoners but rewarding those who it devours time and time again.
The album’s title track crashes in on the listener first, springing from an invasive sonic mist with a slavery of guitar and rhythmic predation as Joseph pokes and stirs the senses with voice and word. Castillo’s beats are rapier sharp and imposing, Oliveri’s bass carries an infectious brooding whilst Youth’s riffs and hooks ensnare across four eventful minutes.
It is an ear gripping, appetite inflaming beginning which only kicks up a gear with the following Fire, a belligerent brawl of punk ‘n’ roll instantly chaining ears with a virulent hook as rhythms jab and incite. If the Angelic Upstarts was merged with Sick Of It All, this could be their anthem while Manic infuses an even greater physical psychosis and unforgiving attitude to the torrential gait of its predecessor in its own addictive multi-flavoured rumble.
Through the sonic call to arms scourge of Kill the Beast and the Dead Kennedys scented Prayer, new twists of sound and invention force themselves through ears, each with a virulent strain of spiky hooks and body twisting grooves, while their successor has things bouncing like a dervish. Siva / Rudra is a contagion of enterprise as cantankerous as it is exotically seductive marked, as all three, by Oliveri springing basslines as funky as they are carnal. Alongside, Youth’s riffs and grooves come as primal as they are compelling whilst Joseph squeezes every ounce of uncompromising adventure and emotional incitement out of tone and syllable.
Soldiers of the New Babylon locks metal and punk together in its prickly vent, a testy proposition woven with nagging riffs and a magnetically throbbing bassline before Kali throws all those attributes into an insatiable maelstrom of punk rock temptation, taking best track honours along the way. Barely seeing the one minute mark, the track is irresistible but swiftly rivalled by the crabby assault of Slow Kill Genocide, the catchiness moment within Up in Arms and arguably the most choleric.
Pure punk rock truculence shapes the breath-sapping antics of the following Slipping into Darkness, Oliveri spawning his most addictive moment within the album bound in the searing flames of Youth’s guitar as vocals and beats vent their animosity with Life as One backing up its triumph with its mercurial but always commandingly imposing tapestry of quarrel and imagination.
The album is closed by You’ll Be the Death of Me, a slab of rock ‘n’ roll taking big chunks out of the senses as it excites with its Lard-esque espionage. Addiction has never been more vicious and seductive within three and a half minutes, certainly in recent times, as that spawned by the outstanding finale to one of the year’s biggest treats so far.
Produced by Zeuss (Hatebreed, Revocation) and mixed by Kyle McAulay at NRG, Up in Arms transcends being just a great release from another so called ‘super group’, it has given hardcore a fresh new breath and snarl which we can only hope is the first of many gales from Bloodclot.
Recorded with Kyle Martin at The Garage Studios in South Shields, No Pressure No Rush opens with Homework. A vocal hush ignites an attention luring pulse of guitar which in turn sparks a composed stroll of swinging rhythms and alluring sonic causticity. The potent vocals of John nestle within the raw flames, the track continuing to almost lumber along. It is an intrigue provoking proposition which certainly had us firmly attentive and animated if not quite as excited as later in the release.
Lead single Smiling Shame follows with its own outbreak of stirring riffs and enterprise. The crisp beats of Drew Michael persistently tap on the senses as the guitar weaves a web of melodic temptation, aligning its grooved suggestion to the dirtier antics of the bass. With surges of almost carnivorous intent and volatile roars, the song ignites its calmer body with rich imagination and though it never quite matches up to the excellence of its predecessor has ears and appetite well satisfied.
You have just released your debut album, Care Plan For The Soul. From its first breath it shares a multi-flavoured, refreshingly dirty and just a little salacious roar of sound and intent; a mix which suggests a varied range of inspirations to the band and individual members. Who particularly stands out as having an impact on your approach to making music?
Give us an insight into the live side of the band?
Themed by “the feeling of people struck with ostracism in today’s society”, A Time Will Come offers five tracks of infectious rock starting with Welcome Home. A deep groan of bass and crisp percussion draws the equally alluring scythes of guitar and Prouveze’s strongly enticing vocals, it all uniting in a subsequent earthy stroll with flirtatious hooks entwined in infectious grooves. Immediately captivating and increasingly virulent by the second, song and sound tempt and seduce with lively enterprise, electronic additives adding to its inescapable contagion.
The mellower caress of Reflections is courted by the great dark shadowed throb of bass and volatility in Ben’s beats which never erupts but magnetically stalks the melancholic beauty of the song’s heart and touch. A song which just grows over time and listens, it brings another enticing aspect to the Mammoth Temple sound which only grows when the track does uncage its muscle.
It opens up with Smoke, a track which instantly engulfs ears in rich melodies and tenacious rhythms. That grunge hue soon soaks its invitation, stoner spicing lining its lures as the vocals of Constantin entice with a warm yet darkly reflective edge. His guitar is an equally potent tempting, fiery flames searing the throb of bass, swing of beats, and the harmonic mist of keys. All together, the ingredients make for a captivating web of sound becoming more intriguing and beguiling minute by minute.
Through the sonic call to arms scourge of Kill the Beast and the Dead Kennedys scented Prayer, new twists of sound and invention force themselves through ears, each with a virulent strain of spiky hooks and body twisting grooves, while their successor has things bouncing like a dervish. Siva / Rudra is a contagion of enterprise as cantankerous as it is exotically seductive marked, as all three, by Oliveri springing basslines as funky as they are carnal. Alongside, Youth’s riffs and grooves come as primal as they are compelling whilst Joseph squeezes every ounce of uncompromising adventure and emotional incitement out of tone and syllable.