A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure to review the excellent EP The Way I Feel Pt. 2, by British Electronic Rock band SouLost and, of course, couldn’t help noticing the talent and awesome voice from their gorgeous lead singer Ceira Mahoney. Although SouLost is a brand new band, why not showing the world how promising Ceira’s career is with the band and how lucky Stef G, Lux and Law (the other members of the band) are?
Born on Februrary 7, 1992, Ceira (a tricky name for people who don’t know her, that’s actually pronounced “Kira”) began her music and acting career really early in her life. She started singing when she was only four years old, and began training at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in the UK on weekends. Once she turned seven, Ceira joined the Ravenscourt Theatre School full time, where she did a few acting roles such as extra work in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and About a Boy. Our stunning Brit-girl also had some experience overseas during her childhood, as she also played the part of a young goth aged 9 for a company called Malabar, in South Africa.
Then at the age of 14 Ceira got into the BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology and went on to join a few bands. However, according to Ceira herself, up until SouLost she had not found any band she had a real passion for like the one she has developed for her current London-based rock group. Based on her two EP’s with SouLost (The Way I Feel Pt. 1 and The Way I Feel Pt. 2, both released now in 2014), it’s easy to understand why she loves her current job so much: the music by SouLost is powerful, captivating and modern, and it can be easily enjoyed by any type of person, from those regular “Top 40 Mainstream” guys and girls to the most diehard Heavy Metal fan you can think of.
If you don’t believe me, take a listen at some of the songs by SouLost, such as The Way I Feel and Save Me, and also watch their official video for the amazing song Without Me. You’ll see that not only her voice is perfect for this type of contemporary rock music, but also her performance as a frontwoman is really above average, truly boosting the quality of the music by SouLost.
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But how can such a young girl like Ceira look and sound so professional with so little time on the road with SouLost? Well, her origins and early start explain part of that, as previously mentioned, but I strongly believe all the inspiration she got from the legend, the unique, the immortal singer Freddie Mercury was the actual spark that ignited her love for music. She has loved British Rock icons Queen and their theatrical side since she was very young (who hasn’t, right?), especially Freddie’s unparalleled performance and voice, of course.
Besides Queen, she grew up listening to bands such as My Chemical Romance and Bullet For My Valentine, and the dramatic quality of their music has been instilled in her forever. Moreover, in regards to her top vocalists of all time, she also draws a lot of inspiration from artists like Alanis Morissette, Amy Lee, Gerard Way and Idina Menzel, among others. I should say this is a very eclectic list of performers, by the way.
Last but not least, as for hobbies our beautiful singer mentioned that, if she wasn’t devoted to music, she would definitely want to train as a tattoo artist, as she has always had a passion for art and body modification.
If you want to know more about this remarkable girl and her cool band SouLost, you can visit the band’s official website, Facebook page and Twitter, buy their music at their official online store, check where you can see them playing live, and also join the uprising #SouLostArmy. And let’s face it: with an “army captain” like Ceira, it will always be a pleasure to follow all her orders.
This promising new band from the UK brings forth a very melodic and captivating mix of Electronic and Hard Rock.
After releasing their first EP in February 2014, entitled The Way I Feel Pt. 1 EP (which you can take a listen HERE), and featuring on the Best of British Unsigned playlist, leading to airplay in 16 countries over 88 radio stations, it’s time for British Electronic Rock band SouLost to take the next step in their promising career with the excellent The Way I Feel Pt. 2 EP.
Although at first glance it seems this is simply the second part of this London-based group’s February release, there are many noticeable differences between parts 1 and 2, starting by the fact that now what once was a three-piece became a quartet, with the addition of bassist Lux to the band. But even more significant than that is the evolution in the musicality by SouLost, moving from some basic Electronic Pop Rock to a full-bodied Melodic Speed Rock, which ends up expanding their music horizons and allowing them to be a lot more creative in their writing process.
Let’s say the only issue with the EP is that it’s too short, with only two original tracks and an acoustic version of one of the songs from the previous EP. However, there’s still a lot to enjoy in its almost 10 minutes, starting with Bring You Down, a great song that fluctuates between Alternative Rock, Hard Rock and heavier stuff as if Evanescence met Lacuna Coil, with the addition of some symphonic elements in order to make it more robust. Furthermore, the catchy chorus pushes the song a little further for becoming a radio hit, if the radio stations are OK with the mild coarse language found in its acid lyrics, of course.
Without Me showcases stronger synths and keyboards than the first track, flirting with Pop Rock and boosted by the excellent percussion by drummer Law, who doesn’t let the rhythm become stale, and the stunning Ceira stealing the show with her outstanding vocal performance. And last but not least, the acoustic version for the song Save Me is a lot more heartwarming than the original one (it was too electronic for me), with Ceira’s tender voice definitely being what makes it so delightful.
To sum up, SouLost excel in everything that’s needed in the showbiz, not only musically speaking but also in terms of their looks and attitude. For instance, the band’s logo is something you can visualize on the T-shirts of many rockers all over the world, don’t you agree? The Way I Feel Pt. 2 EP, which will soon be on sale at their official webstore as well as the previous EP and some cool merchandising, presents a more mature band heading into the right direction with their music. Moreover, you can also check their live performances especially if you’re in the UK, and hopefully really soon everywhere else in the world, and see with your own eyes an excellent band that will probably be part of the mainstream in a not-so-distant future.
Best moments of the album:Bring You Down.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2014 Independent
Track listing 1. Bring You Down 3:21
2. Without Me 3:23
3. Save Me (Acoustic) 2:52
Band members Ceira Mahoney – vocals
Stef G – guitar, synths
Lux – bass
Law – drums, percussions
In an exclusive interview to the Headbanging Moose, Polish singer and songwriter Agnieszka “Nera” Górecka talks about NeraNature’s latest album Disorders, as well as her inspirations for singing and composing, her favourite bands and artists, the music industry and more. And there is also some very good news for the fans of Darzamat!
The Headbanging Moose: Let’s start by talking about your new album, the excellent Disorders. After three long years, your fans are finally able to enjoy more of that Gothic and alternative music found in Foresting Wounds plus some new elements, without losing the band’s essence. How was the creative process of the album, what inspired you the most for composing it, and what in your opinion are the main differences to your first album? What influence did the fact that you’re sharing your time between Poland and the UK have in the musicality of Disorders?
Agnieszka “Nera” Górecka: We started making new songs over a year ago. The good thing was we felt we had all the time in the world, as we didn’t have time limit and didn’t have to rush. We got down to work separately and having a base ready forwarded it to each other for further ideas. For the first time in my life a few songs started with my vocal lines and music was created after. It’s a pretty nice experience I might take advantage of in the future.
In terms of the lyrics my greatest inspiration is life itself. I keep observing people around me and I try being in somebody’s shoes, to understand what’s in their heads and why they act this or that way. I am a very empathetic person, so it’s quite a natural thing for me to see through someone’s eyes. Then I choose a common denominator for and I write.
When me and Marcus started the band we promised ourselves to push the boundaries of our own limitations and habits and no matter the music trend, do what we feel like doing, search different styles and keep developing. I would say that the main difference between ‘Foresting Wounds’ and ‘Disorders’ is that the latter is softer and more electronic.
Living in a new place gave me plenty of new impulses. I found out new things about the world, other cultures and myself. It got me out of my comfort zone and made me even more melancholic and pensive which you can hear on the new album (laugh).
THM: Do you have any extra material left (a cover version, a brand new composition, a totally different version of an existing song etc.) you didn’t feel like adding to the album for a given reason, just like what happens with many different bands and artists when releasing a new album? If so, are you planning on releasing that anytime in the future as a single or bonus track, or is it something you’re going to keep just for yourself?
Nera: There is always some extra stuff left which is not a part of the album for a certain reason. If I feel something kind of doesn’t belong in what we’re doing at the moment, I just drop it, and to be honest, never come back to it. I just know that working on the next album my heart and my mind will be in some other place, telling updated stories.
THM: Although the whole album sounds very personal I consider Twisted, one of the top moments of Disorders for me, even more personal, especially in regards to the lyrics. Not only that, it also feels very organic and you look very, very joyful in the music video. Can you tell us more about this specific song as to how it connects to your persona, in other words, what does Twisted truly represent in your career and in your life?
Nera: I agree, ‘Twisted’ is one of my favorites on the album. The song and the video is a portrait of a woman who cannot find happiness in the real life, so she begins to live in a self made world with her imaginary friend and lover. No matter how unreal it seems, it’s a thing that keeps her alive. As Albert Einstein said “A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.” Some people can treat it as a mental affliction but for me it is just a parallel world, which makes your life bearable and more exciting. Is it a personal song for me? Yes, it is (laugh).
THM: The beautiful ballad I Play, another one of my favorite songs in Disorders, also seems very introspective and emotive. I’m not sure if I can ask you that, but was it inspired by a special moment or event in your life and, if so, can you share more details about it with your fans? It’s always nice to know how an artist generates such honest and heartwarming music.
Nera: This song is about people too sensitive to accept callousness and cruelty in this planet. In other words it is about discovering misanthropy in yourself after what you have experienced. It is about a will to reject the system created by man to enslave another man. It is also about my losing faith in man as such because of his chasing after money and his own comfort and his unthinking, consumerist attitude towards our planet, the only one we have.
The whole album is set in the boundary points between what for some is still the norm, and for others is madness. I’m trying to describe the emotions of people glowing with reluctance to this world. The reasons for their inadequacy may be different, but their fears and feelings are very similar. Hence the title “Disorders”.
THM: I guess most people, including yourself, probably consider Mistaken the most alternative song ever composed by NeraNature. Is that a sign of how your music might sound in the future, and how has the reaction of your fans been to this song so far?
Nera: We like the idea of finishing the album with some odd song, as the end is the beginning of something new. We did it on the previous album with the song ‘Someone’ and now with ‘Mistaken’. We can’t predict the direction the band will follow in the future though, because it depends on what will catch our attention, what will inspire us and what stories will be ready for us to tell. The fact is that ‘Mistaken’ was composed by Marcus and me only and I can’t say we won’t make some more composition like that one, because be both like playing with electro flavour and austere texture. Time will tell.
So far I heard opinions that the song is intriguing. Still, most people prefer the ‘regular’ songs like ‘Twisted’ and ‘Drifting’. De gustibus non disputandum est.
Album Review – NeraNature / Disorders (2014)
THM: It seems that you have embraced the new way the music industry is doing business nowadays, which means making available to the market only the digital version of your album, with no physical copies to be purchased anywhere. What are the main factors that made you opt to market the album only that way, and is there a chance your diehard fans will be able to buy a Disorders CD anytime soon?
Nera: With this album we decided to try to deal with the modern way of publishing, which omits people not involved in what we do. I personally needed some fresh and organic connection with myself, so I recorded my vocals all by myself in strange places like my car, for example. All that work on the album was one big experiment that ended up with no deal, no label, no strings attached – there is just us and the listeners. We made the music, the cover and the video with our own hands, using the tools we had. As simple as that. I think it was a one-time thing and I am sure we will cooperate with wiser and more experienced people in the future. Also, some limited physical copies might appear one day, but at the moment we’re good being out of business.
THM: You might have already answered this question a billion times, but what is the probability of you, Nera, being in a Symphonic Black Metal band again, being it Darzamat or any other band or project, even if it’s only as a guest musician for one single song? Is that type of music still present in your life? If so, which Symphonic Black Metal groups do you usually listen to and recommend to your fans?
Nera: I surely need some space for my alter ego (laugh), so I won’t leave Darzamat that easily. We are getting some stuff ready and the very first sounds are being made, so stay tuned for further info.
When it comes to music I’m not into one genre only. Let me just name some metal bands that were and are important for me: Tiamat, Emperor, The Gathering, Samael, Arcturus, Green Carnation, Opeth, Watain, Burzum, Limbonic Art, Ulver, System of a Down, Antimatter, Porcupine Tree, Bathory, Amorphis, Anathema and my latest discovery- Devil’s Blood.
THM: How about other bands, artists and music genres? What’s currently in your playlist for your day-to-day activities? I’m pretty sure you listen to a lot of Gothic, alternative and atmospheric music from the UK, right?
Nera: Actually, I don’t listen too much to Gothic music. I try not to limit myself and I reach for different stuff according to my mood. Lately, for instant, I listen to classical music and some jazz. If you checked my playlist now you would also find things like Kings of Leon, Riverside, Peccatum, Solstafir, Agnes Obel, Leszek Możdżer, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd, Cocorosie, Ihsahn and Dead Can Dance. As you can see, I like a bit of this and that.
THM: You probably know how huge the Polish community is in Canada (over a million Canadians claim full or partial Polish ancestry) and especially in Toronto, where over 4% of Torontonians are from Polish descent. However, besides the Blackened Death Metal by Behemoth, it’s really hard to find any material or to have any live concerts from Polish bands here in Canada. Why do you think this happens, and how likely is it to have NeraNature playing live in Canada and the US in the future?
Nera: That is a very good question, but to the Canadian agencies and promoters (laugh). I can assure you I would love to come and play with NeraNature and Darzamat, so I’m waiting for your invitation 😉
THM: Thank you very much for your time and for sharing with us all those details about your music and your life, and please feel free to send a final message to all your Canadian fans and to everyone else in the world that enjoys the music from NeraNature.
Nera: Thank you very much for your time, attention and support.
Remember to think for yourself and keep in touch with your soul! Wish you all the best! Nera
If you think Rock N’ Roll is dead, think again. At least in the United Kingdom it is not only alive, but also stronger than ever.
Do you know that sad and annoying feeling when the specialized media insists on saying that Rock N’ Roll is dead, which gets even worse when we turn on the radio and realize the great majority of bands being played in Rock N’ Roll stations are too pop or commercial, not depicting at all the true essence of rock music? Well, if you’ve been suffering from that horrible “illness” lately and don’t know what to do, I have the perfect “remedy” for you: The Hunt, the awesome new album by British Hard Rock band BlackWolf.
It’s simply amazing how many excellent bands and albums are coming from the UK in the past few months, which is also true for this Bristol-based “Soulful Hard Rock N’ Roll” band as they like to call themselves. Mixing some great elements from classic bands such as Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath and Aerosmith, with a more contemporary sonority from Airbourne and Avenged Sevenfold, they were able to create “music from the 70’s” without sounding outdated or nostalgic, all thanks to the professionalism and creativity from all band members.
Their influence from the 70’s/80’s Hard Rock is evident from the very first notes of Mr. Maker, a song that could have been easily recorded by a band like Velvet Revolver, with highlights to its strong vocal work, or in the brilliant Keep Moving On, a song that was born to be a Rock N’ Roll radio hit due to its catchy chorus (you’ll start singing it without even noticing), lots of feeling and an excellent guitar solo. The groovy Moving Mountains, with its old school Black Sabbath riffs and an excellent work done by bassist Ben Webb and drummer Tom Lennox-Brown, will just make you more addicted to this album without any doubt and eager for what’s next.
And what comes after that is, of course, also very pleasant: Faith In Me is a kind of ballad with many elements used by bands like Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd, with singer Scott Sharp elevating the overall quality of the song with a great performance, while the fast and heavy Trouble, which is absolutely perfect for a road trip, presents a band entirely on fire. Moreover, it’s quite impossible not to get pumped up with this song and its awesome guitar solo. Things slow down a little with Only Said In Silence, a semi-acoustic ballad showcasing a more modern Hard Rock (with another powerful guitar solo by the end of it), but the band quickly gets back in full force with House of Emerald Wine, another memorable tune with an outstanding touch of Blues Rock added to it.
If after all that awesomeness you still agree with the “specialists” that say Rock N’ Roll is dead, simply listen to Raised On the Sun and you’ll change your mind. this song is classic Stoner Rock at its best, with vocalist Scott Sharp killing it once again. Or maybe you should take a listen at the fast beats and awesome riffs from Black Hole Friend, another above-average Hard Rock track? But wait, there’s still more Rock N’ Roll to come with the very traditional approach and lots of feeling found in Dragging Ghosts and Relief, the latter being a very good proof that this band never gets tired of playing true rock music.
There are two more songs to go in The Hunt, the first called Sleepwalking, a ballad that will please most fans of that pure classic Rock N’ Roll, and Sea of Mercy, a high-end track that sounds more like a tribute to the 70’s than just a regular song. Besides that, the nice album art also seems totally inspired by some of the old Black Sabbath albums, such as the classic Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
In short, all I can say about this album is that if BlackWolf were born let’s say about 30 or 40 years ago, they would be for sure one of the greatest Rock N’ Roll bands of all time, a reference in traditional Hard Rock, and we would see lots of grown-ups and kids wearing their T-shirts on the streets today. And if you got excited with this review and, more important than that, with BlackWolf’s thrilling and passionate music, you can purchase The Hunt as a shrink-wrapped 4 panel Digipack packaging with CD or as a digital copy on iTunes. It’s because of bands like BlackWolf that we can joyfully ignore the media and rest assured Rock N’ Roll will never die.
Best moments of the album:Keep Moving On, Trouble and House of Emerald Wine.
Worst moments of the album:Only Said In Silence and Dragging Ghosts.
Released in 2014 Independent
Track listing 1. Mr. Maker 4:00
2. Keep Moving On 4:10
3. Moving Mountains 3:28
4. Faith In Me 4:35
5. Trouble 3:16
6. Only Said In Silence 4:40
7. House of Emerald Wine 3:28
8. Raised On the Sun 4:48
9. Black Hole Friend 3:22
10. Dragging Ghosts 4:47
11. Relief 4:05
12. Sleepwalking 4:10
13. Sea of Mercy 4:50
Band members Scott Sharp – vocals
John Greenhill – guitars
Jason Cronin – guitars
Ben Webb – bass
Tom Lennox-Brown – drums
A British band playing modern American Hard Rock? These guys not only can do it, but they do it really well.
If I ask you to list some rock bands from the UK, names like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Sex Pistols and Oasis will probably come to your mind. However, although the band I’m about to review here is from the West Midlands in England, their music has nothing to do with the NWOBHM, Punk Rock or Britpop: we’re talking about a musicality almost 100% inspired by a more contemporary American Hard Rock from bands such as Soundgarden, Black Stone Cherry and Alter Bridge. With that said, let me introduce you GlassBullet, a very good British Hard Rock band who are about to release a new EP called Black Eyes on July 19, which is definitely worth a listen.
This talented Birmingham-based quartet has all it takes to become a great success not only in the UK, but also in any other part of the world, including the much-desired North American market. All band members look really focused on what they’re doing individually and, more important than that, collectively, which is essential for the cohesiveness and professionalism found in their music. If they’re already starting on such a high note, one can imagine how far the band can go with some extra years of experience and good support in terms of marketing and logistics. But lest we forget the most important part here, in other words, the music, and that’s their biggest strength on the path to stardom, as it never sounds cheesy, boring or shallow.
If you don’t believe me, just listen to the opening track, Black Eyes, and you’ll see how good GlassBullet are: the Velvet Revolver-ish intro to this song has that cool feeling from modern Hard Rock, plus all instruments and vocals sounding very clean and professional without losing that rawness so important in true Rock N’ Roll. Not only that, its catchy heavy riffs together with a nice guitar solo at the end turn it into an excellent choice for any Rock N’ Roll radio playlist, even with the song surpassing the 6-minute barrier. And the awesomeness goes on in the song Pride & Pain, with its even catchier riff and an above-average performance by guitarist Ben Evans (who’s also a member of British Heavy Metal band Hostile) and drummer Alex Caldicott.
The song SID (which means “Society Is Dead”, according to my reliable sources) showcases a more straight-forward Hard Rock with hints of Southern Rock, especially the riffs and the interesting guitar solo with lots of feeling after the 4th minute of the song, while the last track, Shot In The Dark, simply shows us this band is really good in composing totally addictive riffs. Besides, it surely has all the necessary elements to become a radio hit: an awesome chorus, good lyrics, a heavy and exciting rhythm, and even some pleasant progressive parts halfway through the song.
Even the nice album art, designed by FarhaRAWRR Photography, reminds us of some album covers from the aforementioned Hard Rock bands from the US. And if after all that information you’re really curious to know more about GlassBullet and how they were able to be so British and American at the same time, you can take a listen at their previous EP called Misguided, released in September 2012, at their official bandcamp page, while you wait for Black Eyes (which will be available on the same location and also on iTunes and other online stores) to be released in July.
Best moments of the album:Shot In The Dark was my favorite of the four tracks.
Worst moments of the album: It’s not fair to choose a “bad” song out of only four, especially due to the high quality of all. Let’s wait to do it when they release a full-length album, right? That’s also the reason why it didn’t get more than a 3.0.
Released in 2014 Independent
Track listing 1. Black Eyes 6:16
2. Pride & Pain 4:59
3. SID 6:16
4. Shot In The Dark 5:07
Band members Lewis Ward – vocals, guitar
Ben Evans – lead guitar
Tom Bushell – bass guitar
Alex Caldicott – drums
Behold the Iron Knights, as they’re ready to rock.
Finally after almost two years since their debut album, and especially after some huge lineup changes (only bassist Paul “Beam” Robbie and drummer Lawrence “Larry” Paterson remain from the original lineup), British Heavy Metal warriors Iron Knights are back with a new release, the excellent self-titled album Iron Knights, which will surely please all fans of that raw “old school” heavy music from the 80’s.
If someone asks me to summarize the music from the new and invigorated Iron Knights, who by the way ditched their pseudonyms a while ago and have been using their actual names since then, I would say it’s pure Heavy Metal created by the fusion of hot metal blood from New Zealand with an absolute passion for heavy music from the UK. All band members sound totally fired up and excited, which translates into great music full of stamina, and in my opinion the addition of British singer and guitarist Jamie Gibson (ex-Possession) was crucial for their new “formula” to actually work. As Mr. Larry Paterson stated in his interview to this webzine a couple of months ago, “The new stuff coming out is sounding really strong to my ears and I can’t wait to get it on the road.”
We can say Larry was absolutely right in his statement as soon as we hit “play” and the amazing opening track, Transparent, fills our ears with pure Heavy Metal: a very traditional intro, extremely heavy riffs, pounding drums, some Thrash Metal elements from bands such as Anthrax, and an awesome chorus that will work perfectly live with the fans screaming “I SEE RIGHT THROUGH YOU!” with the band, are the perfect mix for inflaming the listener and making him start headbanging like hell. And the band keeps on rockin’ with Falling from Grace, with its Southern Metal riff, lots of groove and a very pleasant melody, and the 80’s Thrash Metal sonority from Vicious Circle, with highlights to the great vocals by Jamie Gibson on top of all the shredding and fast beats.
The next track, a ballad named A Chapter’s Lesion, might not be bad but it sounds a little generic, maybe showing the band should stick to the heavier and faster music from the first three songs, which is proven in Genocide, with its very traditional heavy sonority full of interesting riffs, guitar solos and especially the breaks halfway through the song. Then we have the good Cry for Help, with its intro and riffs a little similar to Iron Maiden’s classic “Flight of Icarus”, where it’s clear how much the band members put their hearts and souls into this album. Moreover, I could see this song being played a lot at most Rock N’ Roll radios in North America if the band had signed with a major record label.
Although the last two original tracks in Iron Knights might be completely different in terms of speed and violence, they are truly awesome and achieve their purpose almost flawlessly: I’m pretty sure Mr. Larry Paterson loves to play what is the best song of the album for me, Blind, a fast, heavy and furious mix of Heavy and Thrash Metal with a magnificent chorus; while Jacob’s Ladder, the second ballad of the album, is a lot better than the first one due to all the emotion in it, and besides, it gets a lot heavier after 3 minutes, ending the album in a very energetic way.
Last but not least, in regards to the bonus tracks (all re-recordings of some songs from their 2012 album New Sound of War), they’re all very powerful and perfect for hitting the road, especially the amazing Jericho. The only thing I didn’t understand in the album is the absence of the awesome single “Destroyer”. What the hell happened to it? I thought it was going to be part of the album for sure. Anyway, I downloaded it a while ago and will simply add it to my album folder as an “additional” bonus track.
And after Iron Knights (which can be purchased at the band’s official online shop) is over, you’ll probably grab another beer, hit “play” again and enjoy this great traditional Heavy Metal album one more time, because that’s how things should be when the music in question is not only good, but also potent and rightful. So behold the Iron Knights, as those guys are ready to rock and keep the fire of Heavy Metal alive, hopefully for many years to come.
Best moments of the album:Transparent, Vicious Circle, Blind and Jacob’s Ladder.
Worst moments of the album:A Chapter’s Lesion.
Released in 2014 Metalbox Recordings
Track listing 1. Transparent 5:05
2. Falling from Grace 3:41
3. Vicious Circle 3:47
4. A Chapter’s Lesion 4:20
5. Genocide 4:00
6. Cry for Help 4:42
7. Blind 3:21
8. Jacob’s Ladder 4:39
Bonus tracks (re-recorded from New Sound of War) 9. Bloodstorm 3:54
10. The Messenger 4:33
11. Jericho 4:21
Band members Jamie Gibson – vocals, guitars
Wayne Mann – guitars
Paul “Beam” Robbie – bass
Lawrence “Larry” Paterson – drums
An interesting and totally experimental alternative outside the world of Heavy Metal.
Whenever you want to have a “break” from all the intensity of Heavy Metal (if that’s humanly possible), an interesting alternative is the EP Colourful Cows, launched in 2013 by Israeli/English Electro-Rock Alternative band Syndrome. Formed in 2010 and based in Israel and London, UK, this independent band adds a lot of different elements and experimental techniques to their regular instruments, generating a unique sonority that will certainly please fans of alternative music.
According to the band, the EP tells the first part of a story about the “Colourful Cows”, a metaphor to our life and society, and their music is totally designed based on virtual and real instruments mixed together, live sampling, programmed synthesizing and new live performance methods. All this “technical” explanation might not make a lot of sense for anyone who’s not connected to this world of electronic/experimental music. However, after listening to the entire EP, you’ll be able to better understand their proposal.
The first track of the EP, Exhibition Trial, works as a welcome card to what the band can offer us: it’s a very experimental song, with heavy keyboards and some moments that make me feel I’m inside a “psycho circus”. It’s a good start that will make you want to listen more of Syndrome’s music. The following song, Change, is a song full of special electronic effects and samples that also has an interesting intro with a female voice saying we have to shoot “them” in the head in order to kill them. Are they referring to zombies, or maybe to real living human beings as per the original idea of the album? Even being a huge fan of zombies, I choose the second option without a shadow of a doubt.
Then come Open The Gate, a ballad with several elements that remind me of what artists like David Bowie usually present in their compositions, and L.Q.C, a more Rock N’ Roll and by far the heaviest song in Colourful Cows, which nice solos mixed with strong synths and drumming made it my favorite of all.
Colourful Cows has three more tracks that are completely different from one another: Exhibition Trial II is an instrumental ballad based on a calm and smooth piano; Get My Words is another crazy music voyage, full of synths and with a curious synthesized guitar solo; and the outro Colourful Cows is totally experimental and as odd as it can be.
The music in Colourful Cows is so “weird” that I didn’t know where to add this review, if in the 2013 New Releases or in the 2014 New Releases. Well, guess what? Neither category was selected, first because the EP was released back in August 2013 (a long, long time ago), and second because it’s not Heavy Metal at all, so it couldn’t be added to any of those categories anyway. That’s why it ended up here in the middle of the Other Reviews, which might sound weird, but remember that’s what Syndrome are and enjoy doing after all.
Last but not least, if you’re a musician interested in knowing more about how Syndrome creates their music, go to their technical webpage called Insight, which displays video clips demonstrating their technology and methods.
Best moments of the album:Exhibition Trial, Change and L.Q.C.
Worst moments of the album:Open the Gate.
Released in 2013 Independent
Track listing 1. Exhibition Trial 3:29
2. Change 3:09
3. Open The Gate 3:12
4. L.Q.C 4:18
5. Exhibition Trial II 3:00
6. Get My Words 3:59
7. Colourful Cows 1:23
Band members Eric Shlomi – vocals
Amo – guitar & synth
Kiki Kalifa – guitar
Shaltiel Elul – synth & conductor
Gil Zissu – bass guitar
Dima Shchukin – soundman
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 