Inward Of Eden – Mind Control EP

Apr20

Inward Of Eden is one of those bands which let their music do the talking rather than make big claims with things like their biography and there is no doubt that their latest EP, Mind Control is a strong and persuasive statement. Offering four tracks of alternative/hard rock with a healthy lining of blues, the release grabs ears and attention with ease offering up just why the band is beginning to make a strong impression on the US music scene.

Formed in the first weeks of 2014, Inward Of Eden hail from Knoxville, Tennessee and consist of Shawn Siler, Dusty Owen, Chris Gaumond, Bill Goodman, and Donnie Hall. That same year saw the band record debut album Moments to Memories with Mike Dearing and Grammy nominated producer Travis Wyrick (10 years, POD, Pillar). Its well-received release helped the band to subsequently share stages with the likes of Trapt, 10 Years, Sevendust, Hot Action Cop, and The Veer Union. Now it is Mind Control persuading new ears to attention as the band stir up national attention and more.

The first single from the release, Slow Burn gets things going quickly wrapping ears in spicy blues kissed grooves. Its gait lives up to its name, skirting the listener as strong vocals and prowling rhythms court the continuing flames of guitar. With potent weight to the swinging beats and a gnarly edge to the bass, both skilfully tempering the warm heat of the increasingly impressing vocals and the lava-esque touch of riffs, it is magnetic stuff, never really breaking from its raw smoulder but carrying a hint of volatility as seductive as those heated grooves and every other texture within the striking starter.

The country rock scent of the first track is a richer hue in its successor, the blues flavouring of Devil spicing up the Seether-esque nature of the song further while keys hazily radiate within another infectious encounter. The song takes a little longer to blossom compared to the first but persistently captivates with its familiar yet fresh character before making way for the EP’s title track.

Mind Control instantly seizes ears as vocals make a plaintive cry, sparking another bout of wiry grooves and volcanic melodies. Senses rapping beats add to the swift drama grabbing the imagination, it all colluding in a web of intrigue and commanding persuasion. It is a stomp of a track with a confident swagger which easily hooks limbs and imagination like a puppeteer with devilment in its veins.

New single Ghost of Amelie completes the EP, the song offering its own theatre of sound and craft in a sultry embrace of slow moving but rapacious energy and enterprise. Like the second song, it takes its time to bloom but certainly does so as intoxicating blues liquor soaks the rousing mix of anthemic rhythms and vocal incitement.

It is a fine end to a similarly impressing and richly enjoyable encounter. Inward Of Eden does not have a truly unique sound yet but without doubt it is a wholly fresh and highly appetising one fuelling a release which just demands attention.

The Mind Control EP will be released shortly with the single Ghost of Amelie available now.

http://www.inwardofeden.com/ https://www.facebook.com/InwardofEden/ https://twitter.com/InwardOfEden

Pete RingMaster 19/04/2017

CRNKSHFT – Self Titled EP

Mar28

Photo Credit – Alex Barredo

We surely have a soft spot for things carrying real punch and that is exactly what the new self-titled EP from Canadian outfit CRNKSHFT has in sound and presence. The four track offering is an imposing roar of hungry and varied metal but equally shows a blaze of hard and melodic rock ‘n’ roll, a trait even more compelling in the successor to their previous well-received debut EP helping stir up a very healthy appetite for the band’s fierce and rousing attack.

Hailing from Vancouver, CRNKSHFT (pronounced crankshaft) have begun waking attention far beyond the local scene they have already been devoured by. Support slots for the likes of Lordi, Prong, Grim Reaper, and The Veer Union have capped a powerful live presence and reputation to date, one like their releases beginning to stir broader spotlights. Providing the evidence, their recent single Systematic won an award from the Academia Awards Academy in Los Angeles and there seems little to stop the Daren Grahn (Metallica, Hedley, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi) produced EP nudging greater focus their way.

That single opens up the EP, Systematic instantly stroking ears with grouchy riffs before a wave of tenaciously swung beats and wiry grooves join the initial wave of snarling guitar and the mutually striking tones of vocalist Shane Jolie. With equally rapacious melodic strands breaking through the aggressive trespass driven by Josh Lauze’s potent beats, the song develops a Nonpoint meets Five Finger Death Punch like incitement loaded with the band’s own fresh and inventive attributes. The infectious growl and stride of the song is inescapable, guitarists Geoff Way and Sebastian Mark Pulse casting a web of voracious enterprise as intrusive as it is flirtatious; a union the song embraces as a whole.

The following Tears Me Apart bursts into life with its own antagonistic yet welcoming blaze next, riffs and rhythms ravishing the senses but equally content to pause for melody warm breaths. The calmer moments still have a shadowy air as the bass of Trevor Miles courts the peace while Jolie springs his own diversity of magnetic attack throughout. With unpredictable essences emerging, occasionally with a Korn like nature, the song leaves pleasure full before Old Habits has its go at exciting ears. Another of the singles tempting anticipation the way of the EP, the song assertively simmers and boils; its robust imagination lined body a raw fire of Three Days Grace/ Bring Me The Horizon like dexterity and adventure.

Again, it is a song with something individual to CRNKSHFT in its dynamics, a welcome trait even bolder in the dark prowl of Breaking The Silence; a track virtually stalking ears from its start before its emotive and volcanic heart erupts, a cycle then repeated with fluid craft and invention. The most unpredictable moment on the release, it is as cantankerous as it is melodically reflective in tone. Fierce and venomous whilst contagiously engaging in touch, the song ensures the EP ends on the same major high it started with, heights closely nudged in between.

With familiar textures and essences in its design, the CRNKSHFT’s sound and EP do not quite find major originality but the signs are there, as strongly proven by its closer, whilst enjoyment is already a done deal. Things are looking good for band and ears.

The CRNKSHFT EP is out now across most online stores.

https://www.facebook.com/crnkshft/ http://www.crnkshft.com/

Pete RingMaster 27/03/2017

Normandie – Inguz

Feb19

normandie_promo_RingMaster Review

Rock ‘n’ roll is all about arousing people; igniting their spirit and emotions in tandem with their physical presence and there is no doubting that Sweden hailing Normandie do that with debut album Inguz. It might not be a release that carries total uniqueness in breath and sound but there is no escaping its anthemic might and virulent impact.

Formed in 2013, Normandie initially emerged with a rawer sound but with the departure of their heavier co-vocalist, the Örebro hailing quartet began honing in on the rousing melodic side of their invention. This has led to the stadium rock like roar and the anthemic fuel igniting within Inguz and understandable comparisons to the likes of 30 Seconds To Mars and Bring Me The Horizon.

The album opens with Fight and an instant incitement of firm beats and handclaps which just as swiftly are joined by a heavily coaxing chorus of voices surrounded by spirals of sonic tempting. The song holds back a touch as the quickly impressing tones of frontman Philip Strand emerge, waiting for the moment to erupt into fiery life around the seriously infectious chorus and drama of the song. In no time ears and appetite are gripped by its invasive roar, even more so as Håkan Almbladh’s guitar spins an incendiary web within a familiar yet robustly fresh sound.

With energy and emotions racing in tandem with those of the song, the superb opener makes way for Awakening and it’s mellower but no less catchy endeavour. Strings scythe majestically across the sky of the song, joined by another dose of potent vocals as the darker prowling presence of John Löfgren’s bass provides a provocative temper aside the thick beats of Jesper Malmberg. Riffs and keys almost duel with rapacious zeal as they further shape the explosive encounter, a potent essence equally colouring successor Collide. With a carnivorous tone to the bass as the song expels a blood pumping bellow of sound and emotion, the scent of bands like Poets Of The Fall and Allele crossing thoughts as ears become enveloped in a masterful melodic tempest.

inguz-cover_RingMaster Review Recent single Believe quickly hugs and pressures with its own seemingly recognisable if indefinable character and roar, emotive radiance and atmosphere angst uniting before Loop Hole shares electronic agitation and tenacious rock ‘n’ roll in its Muse meets Sick Puppies like tempest. The track just raises the album’s roof, its aggressive and volatile character as gripping as its searing blaze of melodies and vocals are fiercely seductive.

Through the darker charm of The Deep Cold, a 30 Seconds To Mars meets The Veer Union like encounter, and the wonderfully tempestuous Calling, band and album set a fuse to greedier reactions in appetite and emotions. The second of the pair is especially invigorating and inescapably galvanic, giving yet another striking peak to the landscape of the increasingly impressing release.

The pop spiced rock ‘n’ roll of Starting New leaves satisfaction full, especially with the devilish dark tone of Löfgren’s bass alongside another great vocal display from Strand and band. It was only ever going to pale a little against the might of its predecessor though, but nevertheless pleasure is kept high and reinforced by the bold melodic flames that shape The Storm and finally the reflective smoulder of Epilogue.

All three provide a richly tempting close to an album which from start to finish has the listener rigorously involved and eager to share their own emotive roar. Certainly Normandie is yet to find their truly unique sound though very few will be complaining as Inguz takes them on a ride few will surpass this year.

Inguz is available from March 4th via the band’s own Normandie Records @ http://normandie.bigcartel.com/product/normandie-inguz-album-digipak-cd

http://www.normandieofficial.com/ https://www.facebook.com/normandieofficial https://twitter.com/WeAreNormandie

Pete RingMaster 19/02/2016

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

The Veer Union – Decade

Jan29

veer union _RingMaster Review

Named to mark the 10 year span between The Veer Unions’ debut album Time To Break The Spell and their new proposal, Decade is a riveting incitement of fiery melodic rock from the Canadians that simply leaves ears ringing in rousing sound and satisfaction. It is also the first encounter with the band’s latest line-up, one which seems to have lit another emotive and creative fire in the band’s belly.

The successor to the band’s successful 2012 album Divide The Blackened Sky, a well-received offering pushing the band to greater attention, Decade is a collection of ten stirring songs; five new and five unreleased tracks which were written before The Veer Union began and have been ‘brought back to life’ for the band’s new concept album. It makes for a release which takes the listener into the heart of the Vancouver based band’s journey from first breath to now, through their struggles overcoming adversity and the intimacy of vocalist/songwriter Crispin Earl’s own personal battles.

Veer Cover_RingMaster Review Opener and latest single Defying Gravity, deals with that inner turbulence, being lyrically inspired by Earl’s struggle with depression over the years. It opens with a slightly haunted sonic tempting before unleashing its demons through a hardened rhythmic trespass and irritably grouchy riffs, Earl emotively roaring from the heart of it. It is a striking entrance with a carnivorous snarl but relaxes a touch as melodies unite with kinder intensity as the lyrical sharing begins. Rawer backing provocation from the throat of bassist Amal Wijayanayake intimidates as harmonic tones from the voice of lead guitarist Dan Sittler courts Earl’s swiftly impressive delivery and expression, it all adding to the Three Days Grace/ Sick Puppies like spice blessing the glorious arousal of ears and emotions.

Watch You Lose ensures there is no dip from the heavyweight persuasion of its predecessor, it too slipping into ears with a seductively sinister and elegant sonic caress before enticing grooves wind menacingly around the rapier swings of drummer Tyler Reimer. Rhythm guitarist Ryan Ramsdell simultaneously adds a great nagging essence to the ratty air and nature of the song, his lures matched in more primal kind by Wijayanayake’s bass but sublimely tempered by the sonic enterprise of keys and Sittler’s touch, not forgetting the increasingly impressing and anthemic mix of vocals.

With a mellower climate comes a tempestuous character to the following You Can’t Have It All whilst I Said is a melancholic reflection wrapped in siren-esque ambience around an introspective heart, both tracks providing a gripping infectiousness and emotive drama to get greedy over. The first of the two is another feisty rousing incitement with a Sick Puppies like growl whilst its successor offers a dark serenade leaning more to a Nine Inch Nails like atmospheric immersion.

A strong electronic essence also colours the impassioned blaze of Make Believe, its energetic tempting merging with the predatory teeth of the guitars and pungently forceful rhythms. It is a unity of varied and contrasting textures masterfully woven and matched by the rich strains of the vocals linking up with Earl’s potent lead; a perpetually successful collusion as shown quickly after by both the volatile heart cry of We All Will and the similarly dynamic sonic clamour of I Don’t Care. Each feeds ears with individual emotional bellows aligned to thunderous yet carefully uncaged sounds, calms and catchy twists skilfully linked to boisterous and imposing expulsions to impressive results.

The Unwanted is another galvanic encounter bringing thick emotive drama and contagious bait together whilst captivating and firing up the senses, a quality emulated by Heart Attack but with a stronger leaning to virulent melodic catchiness and tantalising caresses than the vigorous confrontation of other tracks, though it too is no lightweight in intensity and passion. The same can be applied to closing song The Underrate, a meaty slice of pop rock with an angst driven pulse and prickly attitude inciting body and vocal chords with an anthemic bawl.

The track is a mighty end summing up the album in heart and creative dexterity. The Veer Union does not have the most original of sounds even if the designs to it are as fresh and inventive as you might wish for, but the band creates an emotive ‘call to arms’ which simply grabs attention as strongly as their thrilling sound treats ears. Here is to the next ten years of such pleasure.

Decade is available from January 29^th through Pavement Entertainment.

Upcoming Tour Dates With Bobaflex, Bridge to Grace, and Artifas

FEB

2/18 — San Diego, Calif. — Brick by Brick

2/19 — Phoenix, Ariz. — Last Exit Live

2/25 — Lubbock, Texas — Blue Light Live

2/26 — Abilene, Texas — Legends Rock House

2/27 — Tyler, Texas — Clicks Live

March

3/2 — Shreveport, La. — Hangar 21

3/3 — Crowley, La. — Sam’s Place

3/5 — Madison, Ala. — 11th Frame