Showing posts with label straight forward. Show all posts
Showing posts with label straight forward. Show all posts

8/21/2024

Losing Gravity put "All in" this time

Bands are pushing hard in order to reach the goal they set themselves. The southern rock formation Losing Gravity is comprised of German and American musicians. Together they build songs that incorporate straight forward songwriting without sounding dull or commercialised. 

The single for "Another Day" is a fine example for that. Building on the solid basis that the drums and bass guitar provide it's the finetuning with keyboard notes and guitar melodies that gives the track a special taste.

The colorization of the video is held in blue tones giving it a cold touch that surely relates to the topic of the lyrics. Happily there's always still some light shining every here and there.

"Another Day" comes as a teaser to the full album called "All in" that is going to be released on September 6th 2024. Losing Gravity is going to tour with the new songs through Germany. Here are the dates:

01.09.24 - BAD ORB / DEHAAM MARKT  

07.09.24 - HABBELS / SCHMALLENBERG  

13.09.24 - MARIAS BALLROOM / HAMBURG  

14.09.24 - LUX / HANNOVER  

19.09.24 - PONYHOF / FRANKFURT  

20.09.24 - SOUNDCHECK ONE / WALDBRONN  

21.09.24 - B.I.S. / MÖNCHENGLADBACH  

04.10.24 - BACKSTAGE / MÜNCHEN -  

08.11.24 - DIE KLINKE / BERLIN

Tickets are available through the links that the homepage of the band provides. 

3/21/2022

EP Review: The Great Lie - Burners (Hardcore/Punk, 2022)

Life is short. The Great Lie seem to have used this saying and put together a EP that goes straight to the meat.

The New York based band put's out a open stylistic EP called Burners.

It's main ingredient is a strong basis of heavyness. The tight drums and guitar sections make sure it all sticks rough and dirty together.

From it's stylistic "Burners" is a open release taking advantage of many styles of the heavy music genre. You can spot potions of Hardcore, Punk, Thrash and Metal all the way. The band makes sure the journey never becomes monotone because the five short tracks (the longest one is three minutes in duration) quickly change from one part to another. 

My favorite is the opener "Amputee" with it's change between vocals that stand alone in some moments and other segments where the rest of the band pushes in with all of it's sheer power bringing the whole song into a rush of fury. 

Partly It feels a bit like progressive Metal to me when I listen to the music on this EP. The dry production adds to this feeling. Happily the songs are very straight forward (just listen to "Winters Death") so things never become too complicated to follow.

You can pickup the digital release at a price of your choice from Bandcamp. As a alternative "Burners" can be added and listened to on Spotify. Please add them to your playlists so your friends can check them out, too.

Finally Facebook will help you to keep on track how the story of the band evolves further.

5/28/2021

EP Review: Sirius - Wings of Fire (Heavy Metal / Power Metal)

A fine EP that is a good pick to party in it's first half and much more thought out in the second. 

This band serves the power metal straight the way I like it. The opener "Wings of Fire" has a fine stomping bold midtempo rhythm and the riffs and vocals present the track as a solid start into a EP full of metal hymms. The "Shadow in my heart" builds upon a longer riff that winds through the whole track. Along with the drums this serves as a uplifting heavy rocker. The vox come down in strings that add a special note to this tune. 

Next is "The Last Angel" - it's more complex than the previous two. It's riff is changing in tonality throughout the duration. The playing around with guitar effects dominates this one. Surely one for a re-listen. The last track already follows with "The Fury Within". It's once again deeper thought-out. The vocals wear a Judas Priest touch. A cool mixture of the easier first tunes of the EP but worked out wider into it's depth. This needs time to sink in and deserves more attention but I think it's great, too.

 

Make sure to pick a copy from Bandcamp for few bucks and follow the steps toward the first full album on Facebook.

12/10/2019

Album Review: Held Hostage (feat. Ripper Owens) - Epic (Classic Metal, 2019)

You can't keep a good man down! This goes especially for Tim "Ripper" Owens who thankfully refuses to give up. Instead he contributed guest vocals to a album for all the straight rockers out there that goes into the ears at the first listen already.

Held Hostage have shown themselves with a varity of guest musicians in the past. They also shared parts of the income they were able to earn this way with veterans in need. Both things combined sounded like a album well worth checking out to me.

The hammer comes down on us with Held Hostage's new record "Epic".

I wasn't disappointed giving my time to check "Epic" out. This record that is yet to be released (December 15th 2019. digitally, CD January 17, 2020 via Metal Mania Records / MVD (Music Video Distributors) gives the good feeling of listening to classic metal from the first seconds of duration all the way to it's end.

To be precise it opens with "Lightning" going straight, short and to the point. "Tonights The Night" calls for sing-along and makes sure that every day is the right one to do what you ever wanted. I love the repeat of the refrain at the end. I'm still having it in rotation on my mind.

The album turns it's tides on the upcoming two tunes. Both a bit rougher, louder. The guitars make me nervous and shaking while the vocals show the darker, more subtile parts Ripper Owens voice is able to perform. This makes such a voice stand out in my ears.

"Turn The Light" brings the listener down back again with a little more relaxed atmosphere. This doesn't last long as already "It's all over you" turns out to be a riff-ladden song that shares a strong 80s AC/DC vibe but with more agressive vocals inside.

Number seven "Hot Night" is a solid one. Nothing too special here but you'll go along with a solid rock track. All the other tracks go a much riff-based way with excellent vocals on top. They all feature hooklines that invite you to sing along.

This album is a perfect fit for all those looking for straight Rock 'n' Roll that goes quickly into your minds and hearts. Ripper Owens performance gives the songs the extra something. I think the people out there will love this silver disc once they heard it. Please don't miss this one out.

As a preview here's the track "Lightning". Please check Held Hostage's Facebook page for more details on where exactly to order "Epic" on CD or how to get it digitally starting December 15th 2019. The CD will be released January 17, 2020 via Metal Mania Records / MVD (Music Video Distributors).

2/21/2019

CD Review: Midnight Blackout - Hangover (Post Hardcore, 2018)

Heavy to the brim. But still slightly melodic so it remains tasty enough to listen to it.

The cover says it all what the topic of the EP talks about.


Post Hardcore seems to be a style many bands aim at these days. The only downside in my eyes is that the overall heavyness often tends to make the music less enjoyable. Happily Midnight Blackout have not chosen to go this way.

Instead they composed their music to be more melodic and most of all straight forwards. That's also a point I love. Whilst other Post Hardcore tunes are a bit complicated when it comes to song structures this french based formation keep all the power going directly from the mind to the music without fiddeling all around. This means that you can easily headbang to the stuff like you used to do in the older days of metal.

The only weaker aspect for me was the overall too loud mastering of this record. Sure listening the loud way helps to push the mood but here the guitars scream it out a bit for me. Less of the high notes would make listening a more silk and less rough experience. 

My personal favorite is the song "In Sheep's Clothing" that the band also picked as a single for the promotional music video.

Also this one comes around as a EP the duration feels like it's goin forever. You get a good bunch of music for your money served directly onto your favorite device through the band's Bandcamp page. But listen here for yourselves.

Make sure to create a account on Bandcamp before purchasing. The excellent plattform for up and coming bands let's you re-download music you once bought there. This means that as long as the service is up and running you can always download a copy if you lost your old one or changed your device (e.g. bought a new smartphone and forgot to transfer the tunes to the memory card before the old device broke down).

Finally check out Midnight Blackout's Facebook page and give 'em a supporting like on over there.