Page 34 - Black Velvet Issue 86

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complete with a sense of AERACO succeed ‘Shake It Off’, the sing-along choruses, this
fun. There’s a lot of chug- ALL OR NOTHING old school sleazy punk of album is bang on the
ging rhythms, many strong (AERACO) ‘Wined, Dined, & 69’d’, and money. ‘Split-Second
guitar solos, and a fair When Aeraco go all out the very appropriate foot- Smile’ has a chilled vocal
amount of playing with for the big sounds they are stomping Rose Tattoo contrasting with the instru-
vocal effects, such as the a firestorm of rock and cover ‘Rock N Roll Outlaw’. ments driving the pace and
swing between deeper and metal. The drums are fero- ‘Graveyard Valentine’ has the power chord splendour
falsetto vocals on the cho- cious, the guitars are fre- ferocious energy and of the solo. ‘Heroine’ goes
ruses of ‘Crux On The netic, and the songs are of hooks a-plenty. This is one into NWOBHM territory
Stages’. ‘Swing De Nuit’ a consistently high calibre. to get the crowd jumping! with the opening riffs and
SET IT OFF has some strong points of Check out ‘Destruction’ as ‘Back To Momo’ is 13 drums going at it full throttle
DUALITY: STORIES UN- interest, notably the short- a prime example - full tracks of decadent, high-in- and not letting up. The
PLUGGED lived drum blast intro and speed ahead with frantic tensity, kick-ass music. Big, drums are rock solid on this
(EQUAL VISION) the guitar solo leading into riffs and blistering drums bold and with a whole lot of one, it’s a real headbanger.
Eight months after the subdued breakdown before hammering away, yet still attitude, this is rock and ‘Insignificant Other’ and
October 2014 debut of ‘Du- the final outro. Ultimately managing to play with roll. ‘Punkthetic’ bring punk into
ality’, the Tampa based Set though there’s not a lot tempo changes without los- YYYYY the hard rock, while ‘Mis-
It Off take their sophomore here to really grab the at- ing energy. ‘Into The Night’ Clare Huckett takes Were Made’ extolls
album down a notch by giv- tention. It’s an enjoyable has a heavier mid-tempo the joys of laziness yet still
ing it an acoustic touch with listen, just not all that mem- rhythm to the verses before THIRSTY races along. Swaggering
the June release of ‘Dual- orable. There are a few ex- picking up the pace for the THIRSTY sleazefest ‘Penny Black’ is
ity: Stories Unplugged’. ceptions in classic rockers chorus. There’s an eerie air (THIRSTY) a tribute to a groupie, with
‘Ancient History’ is filled ‘My Own Highway’, ‘888 about it like the soundtrack Quireboys founder a brilliantly infectious cho-
with dreamy verses that Finish’, and ‘Con Divers’ to a horror film, a theme Guy Bailey joins forces with rus and great hooks. If you
break the acoustic norm as with its throbbing guitar which continues with Russian poet Irina D to pro- like your guitars cranked up
soon as the wistful chorus rhythms and a really strong ‘Grimm’, one of the stand duce an intriguing combi- to 11 for exuberant, balls
erupts. The acoustic ver- bass and drum line. It’s the out tracks and where the nation of stripped down, out rock and roll then defi-
sion of ‘Tomorrow’ is similar stand out track of the aggression is cranked up a classic blues rock with psy- nitely give Beat The Drag a
in style to the original ver- album and demonstrates notch. The drums are once chedelic and prog ele- whirl.
sion with the exception of that Charles In The Kitchen again thunderous and the ments. Irina’s poetry YYYY
slowing down the chorus do have a lot of potential. guitar solo is another gem. provides the inspiration for Clare Huckett
and removing the vocals YYY But that’s just one side to the lyrics, resulting in ten
provided by Go Radio’s Clare Huckett Aeraco, albeit a mighty im- compact stories. Bailey’s
Jason Lancaster. The great pressive one. ‘She’s A Lot throaty vocals add to the
thing about this song is that OSUKARU To Lose’ has more of a dark power of the narrative,
while it is an acoustic sin- TRANSITION mainstream classic rock which has some disturbing
gle, it still provides a lot of (CITY OF LIGHTS) sound, while ‘Feel The themes. ‘God Bless Amer-
energy and passion that is For melodic rock/AOR Wind’ proves they can han- ica’ is based on JFK’s sis-
usually hard to portray in to really work requires a dle ballads pretty well too. ter Rosemary, told to sing
an acoustic environment. talent for complex melodic All in all, this album is a as she was lobotomised.
‘Bleak December’ and structures, top notch pro- damn good listen. ‘Sniper’ is about Ludmila
‘Why Worry’ move the duction, strong guitars, YYYY Pavlichenko, the most suc-
album along with hushed high calibre vocals, and Clare Huckett cessful female sniper in
harmonies that create a plenty of hooks. ‘Transition’ history with 309 kills. ‘Don- ELASEA
tranquil haven any music has the lot. This is only nie And Sonny’ examines WHERE I BELONG
lover can appreciate. ‘The Osukaru’s second album the relationship between (ELASEA)
Haunting’ in an acoustic with the same line-up and mafioso Sonny Black and Berkshire natives
setting provides an eerie their chemistry is great. FBI Agent Joe Pistone. The Elasea, comprised of Andy
platform for the single’s The first five tracks are new most enigmatic, though, is Bradford, Olivia Jones,
ghostly lyrics. ‘Wild Wild while the rest are reboots ‘Black’. Inspired by Poe’s Calum Radmore and
World’ is an entirely new of past favourites. Opener poem ‘The Raven’ and in- Jevon Smith, break into the
track featured on the EP ‘Arrows’ is a fabulous duet cluding lyrics in Russian, it music industry with their
and its powerful message between vocalists Fredrik casts a strong spell with its debut EP, ‘Where I Belong’.
and strong vocals were Werner and Cecilia Camuii use of haunting strings and ‘Glass Heart’ uses quick-
made for such a warm backed up by a choir, big BLACKLIST UNION a soft electronic organ. witted lyrics and an infec-
acoustic EP compilation. sounds, great melodies BACK TO MOMO This arthouse project is an tious chorus that will leave
Overall, ‘Duality: Stories and a superb guitar solo. (BLU) examination of the human an impression with listen-
Unplugged’ isn’t simply an ‘Edge Of A Broken Heart’ If you haven’t encoun- condition in all its complex- ers. The title track kicks it
acoustic version of an sees Camuii take the vocal tered Blacklist Union yet, ity, contrasted with the sim- up a notch with heavier in-
album, but a re-imagination lead and strongly recalls you have got to listen to plicity of the instrumen- strumentals that provide a
and a new interpretation of the big female-led AOR this! ‘Back To Momo’ is one tation. Short, bittersweet, baseline for Bradford’s
their previously released bands of the 80s. Instru- of those albums that re- and thought-provoking; it’s warm vocals. ‘Lost In The
album ‘Duality’. mental ‘Play’ has a slightly minds you of everything one that stays with you Dark (Feat. Simon Jack-
YYYYY darker tone in the rhythm that got you hooked on long after the music stops. man)’ is a mellowed out
Hayli Zuccola guitar, fast-paced riffs, and rock music in the first YYY track that gets its captiva-
a heavier drum line com- place. They’re raw, aggres- Clare Huckett tion from the sweetened
CHARLES IN THE bined with the wailing sax- sive, fast-paced sleaze; chorus. ‘Time Is Against
KITCHEN ophone to create heavy on the fantastic gui- BEAT THE DRAG Us’ adds a slight undertone
CHARLES IN THE something special, leading tars and blasting the WHAT’S YOUR DAM- of screamo in the chorus
KITCHEN straight into ‘Blinded Eyes’, drums. The only problem AGE? while still maintaining its
(CHARLES IN THE which edges over into with an album like this is (PAWN SHOP ROCK soft nature. ‘On The Line
KITCHEN) melodic metal. ‘Out Of picking out the highlights. STAR) (Feat. Alex Gale)’ closes
Formed in 2011 for a Touch’ has Werner take the There’s opener ‘Alive-N- Beat The Drag are out out the EP with a dreamy
one-off covers gig in a lead and really show off the Well Smack In The Middle to rock, in whatever way acoustic-like duet. Due to
kitchen, Charles In The power of his voice. This Of Hell’, a raucous tale of they damn well please. In- its polished presence, no
Kitchen has developed into album is a barnstorming survival and dancing on the corporating elements of music lover would ever
a longer-term project. This performance from start to edge in the city, singer various rock genres and guess ‘Where I Belong’
12-track debut features finish. Tony West’s story of deter- fusing them into an amal- was Elasea’s debut EP.
original songs of testos- YYYY mination to break away gam of heavy riffs, tub- YYYYY
terone fuelled rock ‘n’ roll, Clare Huckett from his upbringing and thumping drums, and Hayli Zuccola
ALBUMS