Scarlet Fantastic – Beyond Pluto EP

Following the release this past June of the well-received album Reverie, British artist Scarlet Fantastic is poised to light the skies with the Beyond Pluto EP. With its title track taken from that recent album, the EP brings new encounters and remixes to the celestial hug of its lead track, eighties pop spice fuelling all in what is a warm and charming proposal.

Scarlet Fantastic is Maggie K de Monde, an artist whose musical work spans over 4 decades and has enjoyed chart success in the ’80s with her bands Swans Way (Soul Train) and in turn Scarlet Fantastic (No Memory). Over the years she has worked and collaborated among a great many with the likes of Mike Thorne, Crabbi from Pop Will Eat Itself, ‘Hifi’ Sean Dickson of the Soup Dragons), and Martin Watkins from Marc Almond’s band and appeared on shows such as Top of the Pops, The Tube, The Old Grey Whistle Test, The Roxy, No Limit, and MTV.

There is much more to the creative history of Maggie which has been highlighted again by the release of Reveries and now the Beyond Pluto EP. The title track of the latter opens up her new proposition and quickly lures attention with its initial cosmic doodle and acoustic prowess. A gentle strum of guitar is swiftly joined by Maggie’s endearing tones, both essences increasing in poetic persuasion as the song calmly blossoms in depth and temptation. Beyond Pluto is a song which makes no demands yet firmly holds ears as southern bred sighs and floating harmonies also join the lively serenade.

Du Quesne steps forward next, the song more fiery than its predecessor to match the focus of its tale. Guitar and voice again steal attention as the temptress within the track is portrayed, keys providing the suggestive flare of her lure. Stealing the show within the EP, the track is a tantalising encounter quickly followed by the plaintive melodic caresses of Lucky 7, a song which first featured on the 24 hrs album of 2007 and still flirts with ears and imagination as freshly as back then in the EP’s version.

Completed by two remixes of Beyond Pluto by Hifi Sean and Carsten Dusener respectively, the Scarlet Fantastic EP is a magnetic escape from the raw roar of the day; a gentle escape to relax into with ease.

The Beyond Pluto EP is released September 23^rd on Dirtbag Baby Records via Right Track/Universal and available from most online stores.

https://www.facebook.com/scarletfantasticofficial/   https://twitter.com/ScarletFantast  http://www.scarlet-fantastic.co.uk/

Pete RingMaster 23/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Sinnergod – Self Titled

For quite a while now and across a handful of releases, British alternative/gothic rockers Sinnergod has suggested they are in line to seize the British rock scene with their dramatic and ever growing sound. With their new self-titled offering the Manchester hailing outfit has come to that day, their second album a compelling and increasingly irresistible theatre of dark rock and metal announcing the band ready to help lead British rock.

Formed by twin brothers Mark and Chris Hampson in 2007, Sinnergod quickly grabbed attention and plaudits. Within months of hitting their stride live, the quintet earned a slot playing Bloodstock Open Air Festival. A trio of EPs followed, Two Thousand and Never in 2009, A World in Grey three years later with Behind Every Corner uncaged the following year. Each provided an ear and imagination pleasing proposal, each showing fresh evolution and adventure in the band’s sound leading up to the well-received and impressive debut album Seven Deadly Sinphonies in 2014, a release featuring special guests Bill Moseley (Devil’s Rejects, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Tobias Keast (Esoterica). Live too, the band has continued to establish themselves as one of Britain’s finest propositions, sharing stages with the likes of Misfits, Deathstars, Orgy, KMFDM, Sarah Jezebel Deva, Voodoo Six, and Blaze Bayley along the way.

This has now all been eclipsed by their self-titled offering. The new album is a monster of an adventure; a collection of songs which roar and resonate in ears and imagination. Sinnergod draw on the catchiest of eighties hooks and electronic seducing to light the darkest portrayals of emotion amidst an enjoyably invasive sound. It is music which at first appears familiar in some way but needs mere moments to reveal its own distinct and magnetic character.

It opens up with Dead Of The Night, its intro a shadowy and suggestive symphony drawing the listener into the subsequent and swiftly addictive mix of choppy riffs and melodic reflection. As the swiping beats of Chris Hampson land the guitars of Mark Hampson and Sam Saint collude with the keys of Paul Swindells to cast a transfixing weave of emotive sound. Mark’s impressive vocals soon share their heart; lying melancholically upon the blossoming landscape of enterprise as a dark edge is provided by James Dunn’s bass, its shadows in turn prowling the infectiousness of the track’s rousing chorus.

The impressive start is quickly outshone by Burn. The track is glorious, slipping in on the mist of keys as slightly deranged vocals tempt. Once in full heavy motion, riffs and rhythms march masterfully across the senses, vocals and steely melodies combining to further trap the listener. The song is a creative predator, challenging and seducing with every imaginative stride growing into something akin to Nine Inch Nails meets Poets Of The Fall but unique in its own skin.

As the last track is different to the first, The Endless with its symphonic hues offers yet another shade of adventure to the album. As unapologetically catchy as it is muscularly voracious, the song ebbs and flows like a sonic storm, moments of relative emotion packed calm instantly hit by surges of tempestuous energy and sound for another plateau of craft and enjoyment within the release, a success matched by the electronic stomp of I Never Had a Gun. Creating a tapestry of essences found in the likes of Abandon All Ships, Fear Factory, and Silent Descent, the track simmers and bubbles over as it strides relentlessly through ears and into the psyche before making way for the crystalline opening of 1000 Sins. Pretty soon though, its sinew swung rhythms and pulsating theatre of sounds swamps ears; eighties electronic flavouring hinting at bands such as Depeche Mode and Gene Loves Jezebel in tandem with Sinnergod’s own creative might. Addictive and fiercely persuasive, the listener will find themselves quickly emotionally and physically involved, certainly going by the effect song and album had on the office here.

 There is also an element of early synthpop fuelled Ministry to the track, before Al Jourgensen dived head first into metal, and a flavouring which soaks the next up serenade of The Watched. Another which sonically simmers but with a liveliness which infects hips and feet, the song is a hug of melodic and harmonic expression and beauty.

Across the gothic electronic and keys shaped dance of Joshua’s Day and the engrossing darklight of Supernatural, a seducing with the open scent of Dave Gahan and co to it, band and album simply flow over the senses, like poetic fog laying heavy but welcomingly before We’ve Been Expecting You rises from a single evocative melody with gothic and orchestral majesty to stand god like over ears while casting its magnanimous musings. As with many songs, it feels like something you may already know yet every note and twist is a new and fresh exploration to album and the dark rock world Sinnergod are poised to take in their creative palms.

The thickly satisfying Johnny Sits Perfectly Still is arguably the least adventurous track upon the album yet needs little time to have ears and participation secured before We Don’t Have Anything looms from portentous shadows and erupts into a Korn/Machine Head spiced foray into ears and passions. The song epitomises the Sinnergod sound; meaty and dark, heavy and melodically aflame with an unrelenting intensity and energy to tempt and lift the spirit. It is an explosive and thrilling end to the album, though the minute long desolate and forlorn soundscape of instrumental XII actually brings the album to a close but it is its predecessor which leaves the last lingering imprint.

Sinnergod is a band on the march and heading to the frontline of British rock/metal, though to be honest their new album suggests they are already there.

The self-titled Sinnergod album is out now through all platforms.

https://www.facebook.com/sinnergod/  http://www.sinnergod.com/  https://twitter.com/sinnergodUK

Pete RingMaster 15/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Eujenics – Far Stranger

The first release from the band since a slight line-up change, British alternative rock quartet Eujenics show things are just as potent as ever in songwriting and sound. To be truthful, Far Stranger suggests that the Sunderland hailing band has hit a new plateau in both as it provides a powerful and magnetic slice of fiery rock ‘n’ roll.

No strangers to increasing acclaim through previous releases, especially the Humanism EP and following single Alec Guinness earlier this year, and live exploits over the past year which have seen successful shows with the likes of Dead!, Despite My Deepest Fear, Edenthorn, Massa Confusa, and Deadfire, the 2015 formed Eujenics are ready to take things to the next level in creativity and attention sparked.

Far Stranger soon reveals a new depth and intensity to the band’s creativity and imagination and also answers in quick time how new member, vocalist/guitarist Sam Avery will fit the band’s distinctive sound. With sublime ease is the rapid realisation, his melodic tones and harmonious expression the perfect and natural replacement to previous singer Nic Wood. Equally though, as the song finishes coaxing ears with its sinewy entrance led by the heavy swings of drummer Adam Hay, Avery establishes his own vocal character and dynamism backed by the band and matched by the flirtatious bassline cast by David Scott and Chris Hanna’s just as virulent grooves.

Hooks and rhythms continue to collude as the song reveals itself the band’s most virulent and feistily catchy proposal yet; teasing with essences surely Queens Of The Stone Age/Kyuss seeded throughout yet quickly breeding its own identity and individual adventure.

Big and bold, ballsy and boisterous, Far Stranger is Eujenics scaling new heights to unavoidably ignite the spirit of fans and newcomers alike.

Far Stranger is to be released 30^th September.

Upcoming Shows

September 17th 2016 – Lounge 41, Workington

September 22nd 2016 – The Three Tuns, Gateshead

September 23rd 2016 – Crescent Vaults, Manchester

https://www.facebook.com/Eujenics/     http://www.eujenics.com     https://twitter.com/Eujenics

http://eujenics.bandcamp.com/

Pete RingMaster 14/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

The Ellipsis – Cold Cactus

Earning plenty of praise and support for their debut EP Mind In The Sky earlier this year, and especially its dynamic single Wasted Potential Me, British rockers The Ellipsis look like repeating that success with new single Cold Cactus. A lively and meaty slice of pop rock, the song grabs ears and attention with ease; teasing with familiar spices before casting its own character of sound and imagination for just over three minutes of highly enjoyable distraction.

Since forming in 2013, The Ellipsis has played the length of the UK and graced numerous festivals including recently opening The Godiva Festival in their home-town of Coventry. Their first single White Feather caught ears and radio attention with the band sparking just as potent interest through an energetic live show which soon led the band to headlining Coventry OxJam in front of 30,000 rugby fans at the Ricoh Arena. The Mind In The Sky EP and its lead track subsequently whipped up a new swell of fans which it is very easy to see Cold Cactus matching.

About someone feeling out of place, physically and emotionally, Cold Cactus instantly grips ears with a guitar lure reminding very much of Billy Talent, that pleasing bait reinforced by the throbbing tone of Harry Green’s bass and the melody draped riffs from lead guitarist John Connearn and rhythm guitarist Henry Bristow. Framed and punctuated by the swinging beats of Alex Bonsor, the song quickly slips into its own individual guise led by the expressive and potent vocals of Bristow. Further melodic colour soon spreads from Connearn’s strings and enterprise, providing a bubbling tempting within the muscular and richly infectious proposition filling and thrilling ears.

As with Wasted Potential Me, its successor has ears and imagination roused but Cold Cactus simply has richer substance and uniqueness to its roar; a sure sign that the band’s songwriting and sound is evolving rather nicely.

Cold Cactus is out now.

UPCOMING LIVE DATES:

16th Sept – Warwick Uni (supporting The Bluetones)

1st Oct – Grosvenor Casino Coventry

14th Oct – Copenhagen (details tba)

29th Oct – Queens Hall Nuneaton

https://www.facebook.com/theellipsisuk/    https://twitter.com/TheEllipsisUK

http://theellipsis.co.uk/

Check out the video for Cold Cactus @ https://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/video-selector/

Pete RingMaster 14/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Spaztic Robot – Skip Rope Rhymes

“On an empty sunny day in 1990, when I was nine years old, I saw two dead dogs. Each at opposite ends of the same street. One was big and brown, the other small and grey. Both greeted me with the exact same pitiful manner. Their sunburnt tongues bathing on the gravel gave the illusion of salmon rising from black tar rivers. As the odour began to rise with the dusty heat, I felt like I’d snorted fizzy pop. I chucked up. Through teary eyes I scanned the motionless street in which I stood. Nothing. Nothing but ugly new houses. Ugly new houses with identical square gardens laid out in front of them.

I wasn’t to know it at the time, but Spaztic Robot was born at that very moment. With no evidence offering itself to the mystery of the dead dogs, my nine year old self began to piece together his own chain of events…a different one lending itself to each house on the street. I was convinced that behind the bricks and mortar of one of these seemingly inconspicuous houses lay a dirty little secret.

Skip Rope Rhymes was created in the same vein. It’s a gathering of characters and stories. Characters and stories that could all easily exist, in one street, behind the closed doors of ugly new houses with identical square gardens laid out in front of them.”

This biography placed introduction to Spaztic Robot pretty such sums up the air and dark intensity which floods a myriad of sounds and imagination making up Skip Rope Rhymes, the band’s debut album. In a broad array of characters, songs offer shadowed adventures all equipped with intimate secrecy, like behind closed doors insights as dramatic and often cinematic as they are seriously captivating.

Spaztic Robot is the solo project of Robbie Sparks, vocalist/guitarist/songwriter of Stourbridge punksters Rebel City Radio. With the band taking a break from gigging and writing over the past year or so, Sparks has used the time to dive into the writing and creating of this his debut album. Recently released, Skip Rope Rhymes has taken little time in drawing eager praise. Its potent diversity means some tracks more forcibly connected with personal tastes than others but from start to finish it is one compelling exploration easy to hear why it has lured strong attention.

The album opens up with Robot Rape, metallic sounds immediately surrounding the senses as whispers in the dark outskirts of the piece share their paranoia. Samples and infectious rhythms soon join the enticement, varied vocal eruptions and a pulsating throb in tow as Sparks begin infesting the imagination in word, tone, and sound. It is an enthralling start which leads into the magnificent theatre of Walk The Long Way Home. Again bold ideas collude with a whiff of insanity as they lead the listener into a sinister noir lit drama of intent and emotion. Nagging and virulent in its catchiness, the track is like a bedlam bound Brian Brain (aka Martin Atkins of PIL, Nine Inch Nails, and Killing Joke fame), a contagious infestation of ears and psyche from repetitious invention and nagging imagination. It is off kilter, bordering deranged, and inescapably irresistible as waves of intensity and psychosis engulf the listener.

The Ants! follows sharing everyday observation in alignment with broader dangers. It sweeps over the senses with again heavily pulsing rhythms and electronic shadows suggestively courting thoughts as much as the intimacy of the vocal and guitar melody. Its low key but involving presence makes way for the pop toned exploits of Confetti Crowns, a song which was one of those not quite igniting ears and imagination as much as those encounters around it. Musically and in songwriting, the song does little wrong yet feels like it is there to provide an accessible doorway and infectious invitation into the real and challenging heart of the album where for us the major excitements lie. Nevertheless, the song does please before the Aphex Twin meets The Cure like Ugly Flower and the scuzzy neurosis of Fingered At The Disco steal their share of attention. The first is a shadow thick serenade of sorts whilst its successor again has a tinge of Brian Brain alongside essences hinting at the likes of Fad Gadget, Pere Ubu, and Wire. It is a glorious and disturbing slice of rhythmic dementia and sonic aberration matched in creativity and emotion by Spark’s schizophrenic vocal delivery.

The melancholy soaked embrace Birth (Goodbye Roggar) offers a collage of flavours and samples next, reminding a touch of Cardiff producer Conformist as it flows like melodic mist through ears with whirls of creative and emotional disturbance interrupting its tempestuous calm while This Is God! induces smiles and glances over the shoulder as the introspective story of death bound life comes with the nag of throbbing rhythms, repetition fuelled melodic temptation, and the stable reflection of its provocateur. Another pinnacle of the release, the track bewitches before Sparks infests the classic (Don’t Fear) The Reaper with his own haunting and acoustic imagination to fine effect.

Skip Rope Rhymes concludes with firstly the creative delirium of At Daggers Drawn, a song which absorbs ears in its society bred dementia and finally the invasive yet solemnly beauteous darkness Extinction Song. Both tracks ignite ears and imagination while challenging each, a quality which infests and shapes the whole of Skip Rope Rhymes in varying ways.

Only listening to Skip Rope Rhymes does it true justice though words like ours, as with Confetti Crowns, hopefully become an enticement to want to leap into the dark and thrilling realms of Spaztic Robot; the rewards are swiftly evident for those that do.

Skip Rope Rhymes is out now across most online stores.

http://www.spazticrobot.com/   https://www.facebook.com/spazticrobot   https://twitter.com/robbiesparks

Pete RingMaster 08/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Greyhaven – State Of Mind

Finding an inventive and commanding middle ground between the raw intensity of metal and the anthemic infectiousness of alternative rock with a firm dash of post hardcore involved, British quintet Greyhaven recently uncaged their new EP State Of Mind. It is an encounter which roars and serenades ears and imagination in equal measure; bullying and seducing the senses with seven explosive and imposingly compelling proposals.

London based, Greyhaven formed early 2015 and soon earned a potent reputation for a live presence which has seen the band play alongside the likes of Create To Inspire, Idols Of Apathy, Vera Grace, and The Afterparty. Their first year also the release of debut EP The Flood, a well-received introduction which solidly set the band out as one to watch. State Of Mind suggests much more as it reveals Greyhaven taking new strides in songwriting and sound with riveting results.

Recorded with Dan Kerr (Shields, Create To Inspire, Despite my Deepest Fear), State Of Mind is a tempest of anthemic intensity and sound aligned to mellower moments of melodic intimacy. From opening suggestive instrumental Sinners a sense of creative and emotive drama blossoms in ears, the track growing in predacious shadows and poetic charm before it eventually drifts into the waiting jaws and rousing tempestuousness of Hexes. As guitarists Alex Hills and Jim White weave a tapestry of descriptive riffs and melodic tendrils in tandem with similarly potent keys, the raw throated growl of bassist Edd Kerton explodes to be subsequently replaced by the impressive clean and emotive tones of vocalist Sam Paterson. Tapestry is the best word for the song, so many elements across the band bred with imagination and interwoven in a proposal which never stops revealing new essences and shades of tone in every listen.

It is a craft and prowess which applies to all songs within the release to be fair, the following Darkest Hour swift confirmation as a great growling bassline from Kerton and the merciless swings of drummer Connor Tate link up with the harmonious delivery of Paterson and the emotive melodies which embrace ears. A fiery solo only adds to the imposing yet captivating drama shaping the song, again each minute a cauldron of enterprise breeding new adventures with every encounter.

There are familiar elements to the Greyhaven sound which suggest inspirations from the likes of Architects and Alexisonfire, and maybe are most openly apparent within the excellent On & On, though they are spices quickly engulfed in the band’s own eager imagination. The source of the band’s new video, the track leaps around and burns like a sonic fire, the guitars licking at the senses with melodic heat as rhythms crackle at the core amidst vocally coloured flames.

From one powerful persuasion to another as the highly infectious Our Stand steps forward next, its proposal bruising and magnetic as Paterson shines within another storm of metallic predation and emotionally inflamed contagion as savage as it is rousing as it is pop lined infectious. That lighter air also frequents successor Brother, though again Greyhaven infuse it into a creative and musical ferocity which almost venomously snarls. The song adds another shade to the sound and songwriting of the band, its catchiness an inescapable lure perfectly courted by a barbarous intent headed by Kerton’s toxically grouchy growls.

Closed by a thoroughly enjoyable acoustic version of The Flood, the title track of that first EP, State Of Mind proves and further suggests that Greyhaven is heading towards becoming a potent part of the British heavy rock scene. Already that have provided two releases no one should ignore.

State Of Mind is out now via Outsider Records across most online stores.

https://www.facebook.com/greyhavenuk    https://twitter.com/greyhavenuk    https://www.instagram.com/greyhavenuk/

Pete RingMaster 08/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Of Kings and Captains – Jack My Boy

Ahead of their new EP Give ’em Hell Son, British pop rockers Of Kings and Captains have released new single Jack My Boy, a mercilessly infectious slice of robust rock ‘n’ roll lying somewhere between The Pirates, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and The Wildhearts. It is hard to imagine that the Black Country hailing band could have found a more rousing teaser for their new EP, the new single taken from it one of those proposals which instinctively grips ears, voice, and bodies easily enlisting their eager involvement in short time.

Stourbridge bred, Of Kings and Captains released their debut album in 2015 to eager reactions; its success backed up by a potent live reputation which has seen the band share stages with the likes of McFly and Kids in Glass Houses among many and recently undertake a five date stadium tour with Bon Jovi. The foursome of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Luke Wassell, lead guitarist Joshua Lomas, bassist Dean Greatbatch, and drummer Kieran Lock linked up with producer Gavin Monaghan (The Twang, Editors, Niplozi) and Joseph Murray for Give ’em Hell Son and if Jack My Boy is anything to go by, with thrilling success.

A song according to Wassell which is “…about self-confidence and defying people who doubt you! it’s all about sticking to your guns and being yourself regardless of how people might put you down. It’s about being individual and kicking back against the norm“, Jack My Boy has all attention leaning its way from the initial lure of drum enticement. Lock’s magnetic rhythms are quickly joined by an anthemic bassline and eager twang loaded riffs, they in turn turning to an array of fifties seeded hooks as Wassell’s tones whips up even more infectious bait to the already catchy encounter. From there the track continues to lead the listener, drawing them towards seriously virulent choruses, they irresistible peaks in one, from start to finish, spirit arousing stomp.

It takes just one listen to be firmly involved in the song with every encounter after drawing keen and full participation. If Jack My Body is a sign of things to come with Give ’em Hell Son, the EP is a must.

Jack My Boy is out now with the Give ’em Hell Son EP available for download from all good digital retailers September 9th.

Upcoming Gig Dates:

Sept 9th – Katie Fitzgerald’s – Stourbridge (Acoustic Show)

Sept 29th – RiverRooms – Stourbridge

Sept 30th – The Shed – Leicester

Oct 15th Wulfrun Hall ­‐ Wolverhampton

https://www.facebook.com/ofkingsandcaptains   http://ofkingsandcaptains.com/   https://twitter.com/ofkingsandcaps

Pete RingMaster 08/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright