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MIDWEST RUMBLINGS |
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(Midwest Unsigned Band Demo Reviews) by David Buco
This time around I found my mailbox brimming with
some region-bred hardcore, rock and punk. Not only is this latest batch of
demos “hard as hell,” but we’ve got three “A+”
bands here as well! That’s
a record for this column. We’ll kick things
off with an extremely awesome band called ESCAPE
FROM EARTH who offer up a
tasty three song CD. These guys rock, and
rock with a hard groove. Excellently executed thunderous guitar with a
great rhythm section. The stand out
here is “Tongue,” is a
groovin’ metal tune with just a hint of Soundgarden in the music. With a
chorus like –– “Don’t ya go
stickin’ your tongue in my mouth...” –– how can you go wrong? “L.S.D” is by far the best reworking of a
Beatles tune I’ve ever heard. I would never have thought that the Fabs’
“Lucy” would be conducive to
the alt-metal sound, but my God does it work!
Great stuff, guys! My Grade: A+
Next up is hardcore
metal outfit GREAT SOLAR STANCE
out of Lansing, Illinois with a three song demo CD. For this one,
think – “Pantera meets Cannibal
Corpse.” It’s hard to believe only three guys can produce this
kind of sound.
Somewhat under
produced, these three cuts –– “Tattered
Dress,” the Fields Of
The Nephelim-influenced “Cure For
The Common Cold,” and “Head
Rush” –– are all top notch.
Awesome vocals coupled with crack your skull open music make this a
keeper.
I await a full release
with bated breath guys! My Grade: B
Next up is NUISANCE
with their five song E.P. Metal with an alt-flavor is probably the best
way to describe this quintet.
Clever lyrics and
smart songwriting drive this nuisance to extremes. Rolling rhythm guitar
and way cool vocals (including some great harmonies) along with a well
produced, almost garage sound punk style earmark this band’s sound.
The two standouts here are “Open Up Your Eyes” and “Say
I.” The latter sounds a bit like Korn if they’d been given the old
Dischord Records treatment. Good stuff.
My Grade: B -
The next Midwest
rumbler is Cleveland, Ohio’s VICTORY
FLAG with their five song disc –– “Soundtrack
Of Your Miserable Life.” Got punk? Hell yeah! This may not be the return of “OI!,” but damn it this is straight up hardcore punk, no chaser. Victory Flag provide a sonic assault that recalls Minor Threat. Hardcore punk with a bombastic rhythm section, searing guitar and angry as all hell vocals. Find this CD as fast as you can and let it sink into you ear holes. Kick-ass reworking of the Accused’s “Deception.” My
Grade: A +
Our final rumbler this
month is RED RIVER with their
five song E.P. –– “Return Of The Carpet Cleaning Sea Creatures.” These guys
get bonus points for thinking up such a cool title! This is another awesome region-produced CD that needs to be heard by as many people as possible. Influences of Korn, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Primus can be heard on this monster CD. Even a bit of Fred Durst’s “limp” style sneaks into the mix. Powerful writing
and outrageous use of samples are a couple of driving forces behind this
destined-to-be-famous band. Vocals: A+
Music: A+ Production: A+
Arrangements: A+
... Any questions? This could very well be the next band to “hit big” from the region! And deservedly so! My Grade: A+
Keep ‘em coming all you unsigned bands out there! Remember to include some kind of bio material with your submissions. You can now contact me online at: midwestrumblings@yahoo.com
Long Live INDIE Music!
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