|
MUSICDISH
CD REVIEWS
A local Sacramento band who now stands alone in their genre [Tribal Metal] since the break-up of Mahalah, Rezyn [Anthony-vocals/conga drums, Mad Dog-guitars, Kit-bass/backup vocals, and Win-drums/percussion] are four band members that are very misunderstood, unappreciated, and, yes, even despised by many in the downtown music "clique" [felt, even known by the band, it has been so noted on their website, now also in the comments on the inner sleeve of this album]. This writer would like to explore this issue further possibly [in a written editorial from high atop my proverbial "soapbox"], in the interim I will only express that this is once more an example of the hypocrisy so prevalent here on the local music scene. In my humble opinion this is very undeserving, totally disrespectful to the band members themselves, forgetting that they are still musicians/artists and for that alone they warrant respect.
If our society remains so shallow, judgmental, and place unwarranted stigmas on bands based solely on appearance, pity the fools who will never experience the true talent that this band possesses, in addition to the multitudes of underground artists today. This is the first released long length CD by the band; it is a combination of the two previous released EPs that you could obtain at a "live" performance [although some songs have undergone some structural changes], plus previously unreleased fan favorites, along with their newer written material. It is an overall true picture of the band, Rezyn. Open your mind to the possibilities; listen to the thirteen tracks on this album, and hear the undeniable talent oozing out of your speakers. This album is non-stop, fast, hard-pounding, true heavy metal from the get-go! Normally I would take each track and comment on it individually. I will not do this, however, with this album. I will give you the overall gist of their sound, and let you the readers form your own unbiased opinion once you genuinely explore the music. Their musical persona consists of: harsh vocals, with an occasional melodic overtone [Anthony has such an incredible range vocally; yes he can even belt out a ballad as seen on the Pus Cavern"s Christmas CD 2002]; strongly executed heavy metal guitar riffs/melodies; incredibly heavy rumbling, borderline brutal bass chords; and by far, one of Sacramento"s best drummers, that uses double bass, combined with heavily driven sticks to create his unique trance-inducing style with extreme "ghostly" tribal effects intertwined throughout. Top off their musical persona with an extreme stage presence, exuding an over abundance of male testosterone, you have the makings of an overall awesome show band! Their fan base is strong; their faithful Rezyn followers adorned in their t-shirts become a blur in the total frenzy taking place in the chaotic mosh pits. One cannot help becoming entranced by the overall performance, the thumping sound, and the primal interjections belted out by both Anthony and Kit. It becomes physically impossible not to find one, head bobbing, or foot stomping right along with the other audience members all a safe distance from the utter madness that is front center stage! Overall Impression: A totally predictable and incredible recording by the band. In this writer"s opinion another "must have" in your collection of local talent. Note: key word there was Talent!
Standstill goes against its very name. Enric (vocals), Piti (guitar, vocals), Carlos (guitar), Elias (bass) and Ricky (drums) all play "Memories Collector" with an unusual amount of energy. When I hear a band like this, the first thing that goes thru my mind is: what are these guys gonna be like in the old folks home in their 60s? Will they still shout this stuff, shuffle up to each other to inquire 'what's up?' answer back 'cool,' and smack hands? Yeah, yeah, this is music for the young, so they say. But we all grow up, right? Anyway, this is as far away from old folks (the current generation, I mean) as you can get without a prescription. Standstill comes across the vast wasteland of slacker bands somewhere between the fiery landscape of punk and the dying, melodic flower of hard metal. Guitar heavy. Fronted by a voice who can hold a note like Sting, but whom you Know you don't want mad at you. 'Cuz he'll give you hell, at no discount. Think of a Nirvana attitude, played with that brand of electricity, but trying to carve themselves into a world that's heard it all before. If adrenaline, and mood, mean anything to you, listener, you're going to like what you hear. Take the first words from the opening track: "Goddess
come to push me down Like the better shards of poetry, it all makes sense eventually. And time is all we've got, eh?
Bizarre cover art eh? Well, I have seen weirder than this so I guess it is not very bad when considering some of the other images used in the realm of progressive rock and the like. The music is certainly different as well, and I do not mean that in a disparaging way by any means. TriPod is very original and unique on their self-titled album. They have no problem struttin' their stuff. Their sounds encompass a broad based fusion and funk meets jazz with sprinkles of pop for a tad of sparkle and polish. They accomplish this by not using any guitars or keyboards; it really is quite amazing how full and varied their sound is. Considering they are not using the meat and potatoes that most progressive bands use to achieve the necessary atmosphere and sound that a listener has come to expect, it is even that much more awe inspiring. If you are a musician or just a music fan like me, you really need to hear this band. A practiced combination of bass, drums and brass form their sound. I thought of Morphine more than once while listening to this band, which used the same configuration but was strictly alternative rock. This band covers quite a bit of ground on this album and they truly define the word progressive. If you are looking for something new and different and enjoy jazz-rock-fusion, check out TriPod.
What took the longest time on this review was hunting down the label name. Still can't find one. If this is indie, it's like no indie I'VE ever heard before. The production sounds Damn expensive. Not just the mixing and amount of detail in the instrumentation, but the mood. This is the melodic 1980's, man, and I don't mean Prince. Think of the darker groups like Tears For Fears, portions of U2, Pet Shop Boys, and even some of the better Joe Cocker studio albums. Young says, "People now proudly pull their favorite old CDs out of their hiding places, but creating those kinds of songs is a lost art. It's like the word melody has almost lost its meaning." But it hasn't on The Ground. Song pluggers say that the key to a good song is being able to remember it after half a listen. That's what's happening here:
1. Paid For the Trade Young's vocals are dynamic, but with a whispery quality that gives his range a timelessness that seems to be spanning the last 20 years. He co-produced the album, so obviously, like David Bowie, he knows exactly what world he wants to create. Let's hope Young is as prolific as DB, because this reviewer has Very Rarely heard pop tunes like these. They go beyond catchy, and into the realm of drugs. You want it, you need it. Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2003 - Republished with Permission
|
Artist: Rezyn (
Artist: Standstill 
Artist: TriPod (
Artist: Everett Young (