Page 36 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 99

BV99 pg36_BV99 pg36 04/11/2018 23:26 Page 1

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YYYYY Excellent YYYY Very Good YYY Good
YY Listenable, Just Y Poor

These Countless Nights’ band’s second EP. Opener falsetto in the chorus, acoustic version of ‘Dying
saw them dabble in pop ‘Alibi’ is also possibly the which possesses a delicate Daze’ which is a fine con-
rock, this time they have strongest track of the five. nature that juxtaposes clusion to the record while
dived in head first, fully Killer riffs, a devil-may-care against the driving instru- sandwiched between the
committed, and on the sur- attitude, a bit of sleaze and mentals underneath. ‘Bor- aforementioned four harder
face, the work is more than a burst of gang vocals – rowed Time’ brings in a songs ‘My Gardenia’ is a
good, albeit quite different this must be a live syncopated groove which welcome and enjoyable
to what we have come to favourite. The blues swag- you’ll get hooked to imme- change of pace and under-
expect from the band. But ger comes out on ‘Wrong diately, whilst final track lines what a small tweak to
this is still a rock album. It’s Place, Right Time’, com- ‘Envy’ will leave you on a the running order of ‘Flight
not another example of plete with harmonica and high with it’s anthemic cho- 619’ may have made as
P.O.D. your favourite rock band possibly saxophone. It’s a rus and gallant riffing. ‘Can- while having the correct in-
CIRCLES going mainstream and beast of a track and there’s vas’ packs all the punches, gredients is key, adding
(MASCOT) abandoning everything a lot going on, but the intertwining lush melodies them in the right order is
Life has truly come full they have held near and rhythm grabs you instantly with crushing instrumentals sometimes just as impor-
circle for US nu-metal trail dear in favour of modern and the guitar solo is a to create an alt-rock brand tant.
blazers P.O.D., whose pop music in the hope it will corker. Closer ‘Said And that identifies them as YYYY
tenth studio album ‘Circles’ be the difference they need Done’ is slower-paced and Blank Atlas. Michael Coventry
sees them not only doing to finally ‘make it’. This is toned down, not quite a YYYYY
what they do best, but more a case of the band ballad but edging that way. Athena Kam
when they do what they do using a pop element to try It gives Wilf Kite the
best, they do it better than and enhance their own chance to stretch his vocal FLIGHT 619
most. There are no such work - and indeed it does. talents and is a good round FLIGHT 619
questions with ‘Rockin’ Underneath the often bub- off. Decent EP, worth (MAD RABBIT MEDIA)
With The Best’, a near per- bly and punchy style of checking out. They say put your best
fect start to the album, es- music, which is the trade- YYYY foot forward and while fe-
pecially for fans of what the mark of ‘Rituals’, is the Clare Huckett male-fronted American
majority consider the deeper and dark side to rockers Flight 619 haven’t
band’s finest work, ‘Satel- their lyrics. Constantly quite done that with their
lite’, from the sharp end of throughout the album it debut album they have
two decades ago. The feels like a confessional more than stuck their land- THE VIRGINMARYS
opening track is old school from lead singer and ing. One of the biggest NORTHERN SUN SES-
P.O.D. at its finest, Sonny rhythm guitarist James flaws of ‘Flight 619’ is their SIONS
Sandoval being absolutely Veck-Gilodi who uses the choice of opening songs, (THE VIRGINMARYS)
on point on the mic, his songs here to get so much as, while ‘Less Of Me’ is far The key to The Virgin-
lyric of ‘I take offense to baggage off his chest. At from a bad song, it is per- marys is their concentra-
pussycats hanging in the the heart of the confes- haps the weakest track on tion on their message,
lion’s den’ having just the sions is more than just the album and it is immedi- allowing the lyrics to dictate
right amount of venom and heartache and failed rela- ately followed by ‘Dying the style to an extent. This
fire to give the song an tionships but detailed ex- BLANK ATLAS Daze’ which, while a better is a band with a social con-
extra bit of bite, while the planations as to the reason CANVAS effort, is outperformed by science to the fore, but
crunching guitar riffs from why, and this realism gives (BLANK ATLAS) the acoustic version of the they also know how to write
Marcos Curiel are sublime. the songs a harder edge Norwich alt-rockers song at the end of the a damn good tune. Open-
While softer tracks such as than you typically get from Blank Atlas take a heavier record. However, things ing track ‘Look Out For My
the album’s title track, ‘Fly pop rock. ‘Hell’ offers lyrics musical direction with their then take a noticeable step Brother’ is stripped-down
Away’ and ‘Domino’ don’t such as ‘You just couldn’t sophomore EP ‘Canvas’. up in terms of quality with rock that emphasises the
quite hit the target, the see my dark side with With jagged riffs and a pen- ‘Baby Blue’, ‘Love Is A vulnerability of the words,
band encouragingly turn those rose lenses on’ and chant for massive cho- Refugee (L.I.A.R.)’, urging unity amongst peo-
the heavy dial up on the more blunt ‘I never said ruses, there are certainly ‘F.I.N.E.’, arguably the best ple and concern for each
‘Soundboy Killa’ and I would treat you right’ some headbang-worthy song on the album, and other. It’s also easy to see
‘Home’, which are a brutal while ‘Holy’ is a fascinating moments packed in. You’re ‘Sick Of’, where we not why this has become a live
pair of tracks to wrap ‘Cir- mix of the two sides of the immediately greeted by at- only enjoy a marked im- favourite because it has a
cles’ up on a high note and album as a quick listen titude-laden riffs in opener provement in the music great rhythm. ‘SOS4UNI’
leave you hoping the band gives the impression of an ‘I Was Told This Is How from the band, but we see has a bigger, more frantic
will continue to explore this uplifting, upbeat song but Wars Start’. The vocal har- a significant increase in the sound with a rapid-fire
harder and grittier side of when you take the time to monies act as the perfect tempo and grit of the songs drumbeat that gives it a
their personality in the fu- listen to the lyrics, such as partner to the dirty riffing in and this appears to high- sense of urgency. ‘Get Me
ture. It could be the secret ‘I know that underneath the track, especially during light the bands strengths Back Home’ has a dirty
of P.O.D. writing the next your smile hide the nights the chorus where they are and weaknesses, the for- blues vibe and a foot-
chapter of nu-metal’s his- that you regret and the sure to send chills down mer being their ability to stomping rhythm, given a
tory, which has already days you can’t forget’ it un- your spine. Ferocious in- take typical US radio sense of desperation by
lasted longer than many covers a much darker side strumentals pound into you friendly rock and give it a the lyrics, while the epic
ever dreamt it could. which make this not only at the start of ‘Halfway harder edge. Based on ‘Flags’ is an anthem of
YYY an enjoyable listen, but a There’, but the major what we have here to judge strength and survival in the
Michael Coventry very interesting one as melody of the track brings it would seem that Dakota face of personal struggles.
well. in an element of freshness Wilkinson’s voice is far bet- It’s lyrically raw, honest and
DEAF HAVANA YYYY and allows the light to ter suited to the band’s ultimately uplifting, and the
RITUALS Michael Coventry shine through. Rolling heavier tracks and more of sound is huge, more alt
(SO RECORDINGS) drums in ‘Sing For Some- this in the future is certain rock and intense – ab-
There is a great deal to KIKAMORA thing’ contrast against the to help turn even more solutely phenomenal. This
enjoy from Deaf Havana’s MASQUERADE soaring vocals, and you’ll heads but this is not to say is a great album that leaves
fifth studio album, ‘Rituals’, (KIKAMORA) definitely be tempted to there is not great potential you wanting more.
an album which sees the Bristol’s Kikamora sing along to the ‘woah’s for the slower-paced YYYYY
band fully embrace their serve up classic-style before the chorus. There’s songs. This is proved by Clare Huckett
pop side. If last year’s ‘All bluesy hard rock in the a haunting beauty to the the aforementioned
ALBUMS