Here we have some self-proclaimed rock ‘n’ roll heroes from Greece, yes that’s a bold PR statement, but marginally accurate! I listened to this release a few times long before I did some digging or read the PR material, I actually thought they were from the US by the sound of their music and especially the really cool vocal of Bob Mavridis. The rock ‘n’ roll aspect of the music is comparable by relatively modern-ish bands like The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies etc, although for me I would go back to bands like Beautiful Creatures and even a harder version of Hanoi Rocks.
Tracks like ‘Crutch’ and ‘Love is a Dog from Hell’ are real upbeat rockers, something to shake your hips to if you so desire, but there are two tracks for me that stand out that are a little different. These are ‘Point Six’ and ‘Kronos’. Taking the former, the vocal tone a style is a little like Soundgarden, there are certainly some vocal phrasing similarities to Chris Cornell, this is rather damn fine, I love this vocal tone and it has a warm temperament that ensures the track has substance and a touch of the grandiose about it. The latter (‘Kronos’) has a real cool groovy centre section that will appeal to fans of the Stoner clan, like the name checked Clutch and even somewhere close to Monster Truck’s swagger. This starts out soft and emotive, like some of the 90’s grunge music, but doesn’t fall into 90’s music traps, it’s got more purpose and the arrangements have more substance, no depression, they are on a more positive mission!
Completing the release we go back to the high octane, or high gain rockers as the album title would suggest. ‘Bleed in Face’ is a fine place to finish, the release is cool I like the variation, had this been all rock ‘n’ roll styled then I would imagine boredom would kick in, but as it is, there is a sprinkle of imagination in the song writing and the highlight is certainly the vocals, the tone and delivery is emotive, it’s not forceful, it simply works for this style.
(7.5/10 Paul Maddison)
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