Formed in 2016, the quartet delivers relentless, memorable performances at the jet engine decibels of a Boeing 747. Consisting of vocalist Reed Alton, guitarist Shaddy Elsaghir, bassist Duncan McCartney, and drummer Keaton Byfield, the band has already made a mark for itself touring and constantly gigging around Western Canada.
I really like this and I almost hate saying that when they only give you four tracks, but as hard rock EP’s this year go, this will be stood over the rest of the pack come December.
Of course when the promo reads “For fans Guns N Roses, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Velvet Revolver” you normally just sigh, after all you normally read it two or tree times a day. But you know what this does sound like Gunners meets Velvet Revolver and I guess by default you can throw Halen and Zep in there. It also kinda reminds me of Dave Henzerling and Robert Mason’s ‘Big Cock’ especially on ‘Bad Enemy’ which has swagger to die for.
Opening with the rolling riff and scream of ‘Chains’ Calgary’s In/Vertigo clearly man business and their business is clearly moving you! This is a band that manages to connect from the off with a vintage Gunners-like sound that is guaranteed to make you get up and move. It’s a great song, nice and catchy and edgy enough to please those that frequented the denim and leather rather than the spandex and Aqua Net end of The Strip.
‘Bad Enemy’ like I said has that 80’s revival swagger and adds that essential Blues for extra depth, something that the Poison end of the Strip never got; and third track and first single (I always laugh when I read first single off an EP) ‘The Night’ keeps that thought and adds a shimmy,whilst taking things down to a crawl. It’s a solid mid-tempo simmer with some lovely Blues guitar. Not quite the huge ballad that might seem the obvious choice, which is nice.
Final track ‘Take It’ adds that Zeppelin part of the equation with Reed Alton’s vocal starting out a little ‘Robert Plant’ before becoming harder for the chorus. It’s another great song and another that’s not a simple foot-to-the floor rocker, deliberately keeping in that third gear groove. Indeed there’s more ‘feel’ in these four songs than most debut EPs. I’m expecting a lot from these guys after such a fie start.
4/5
TRACKLIST
1. Chains
2. Bad Enemy
3. The Night
4. Take It