SMALL BLUES TRAP - Red Snakes and Cave Bats

SMALL BLUES TRAP - Red Snakes & Cave Bats

Written by Branimir Lokner
Saturday, 28 August 2010

SMALL BLUES TRAP " Red Snakes & Cave Bats "
( Self - released ) 2010.
CD
Blues - GREECE





Another important blues act from Greece, excluding a legendary group Blues Wire, is Small Blues Trap. They works as a quartet, fronted by key person, singer/harmonica player Paul Karapiperis They was founded back in 2004 year, and first discographical step was " Crossroad Ritual" album from 2006 year. " Red Snakes & Cave Bats" is actuelle one from this 2010 year, and band has released a CD as a self-produced issue.
Also is important to say, that on song " Buy A Dog ", a group include as a singer, writer and guest star performer Elias Zaikos from mentioned famous and established Blues Wire band. A 13 mainly convinceble and equalizing tracks are present on " Red Snakes And Cave Bats" album. A band has showed possibilities to explore blues as a genre in many aspects, so we can find here and there roots traces, 70's rhythm and blues variations, southern blues emotionals, acoustically driven tunes, and many things in-between.A fantastic voice of Paul Karapiperis dominates through songs atmospheres, but it's also clear that complete line-up performs in best possible manner. " Red Snakes & Cave Bats " deliver an enjouable atmosphere, excelent band playings, and modern authors views. " Red Snakes & Cave Bats" is recomandable product for older and newer blues followers, worth listeners attention.

Rating : 9 / 10
C / o : www.smallbluestrap.gr
www.myspace.com/smallbluestrap

Electric Chair - Demo / Promo

Electric Chair - Demo / Promo

Written by Branimir Lokner
Monday, 23 August 2010

ELECTRIC CHAIR " Demo / Promo "
MP 3 2010. - USA
70's/ 80's hard rock







Electric Chair are relatively new project/band ,fronted by key person, guitar player/producer and leader - Wayne Ward. They hailing from Madison, Wiskonsin, and at this very moment a group's line-up are consists of 2 more persons - Gonzo /vocalist , and drummer - Al Sys. On their MySpace page we can hear a 6 putted songs from band, and that's only a part of group's hugest opus, ready for delivering. On the other hand a members from band are well-experienced and trained musicians, and from the first to last offering track, they knows how to satisfy a taste of mostly hard rock fans of so call older school. A band has introduced themselves with some authors songs and some covers, especially opening track " Time Of The Season" posses something typical of great 70's. Even that Wayne's company has recorded an equalizing materials some comparizions comes to mind, and I would mention another USA precisely New York act - The Rods, as a band with similiar performing "communication" . The Rods were a group whose carreare lasted during the 80's, and especially 2 albums - " In The Raw" and " Wild Dogs" reached the audience attention.
Electric Chair in their own way combines elements of 70's and 80''s hard rock, with present energy of our time. There are no unnecessery complexities in its performings, arangments were done in clear and simply way, but the songs are listenable and at the same time absolutelly accaptable.
Even of evident retro approach, Electric Chair are serious band, whose musical opus simply deserve a chance, and of course listeners attentions.

Rating : 8 / 10
C / o : www.myspace.com/electricchairrox

BEN COOLEY HALL - Owning Up To A Life

BEN COOLEY HALL - Owning Up To A Life

Written by Branimir Lokner
Tuesday, 10 August 2010

BEN COOLEY HALL " Owning Up To A Life "
( Caunounicus Records ) 2009.
CD - USA
Modern songwriting/indie pop/americana/acoustic



Ben Cooley Hall is a singer/songwriter and artist with certain carearre behind. He was also a part of Boston based trio - The Mary Rellys.
His actuelle album from previous 2009 year, entitled " Owning Up To A Life", has showed his authors interests and creative views.
Musically, Hall combines elements of pop and americana, creating self-emotional atmosphere in each of 11 present songs. Some of his tunes posses late Beatlesque melodicity, some of them are influental by the acoustic/folk legacy from the 70's period. His mostly narrative melodies lyrically asssocate on love and positive vibration, but with also specifical ironical approches.His vocalization is authentocal, even that most of present songs were done in slower mid, rarely in mid-up tempo. A recomandable track from his album could be a third one - " After The Fall".

Rating : 7 / 10
C / o : www.bencooleyhall.com

GREENSLEEVES - The Elephant Truth

GREENSLEEVES - The Elephant Truth

Written by Branimir Lokner
Sunday, 01 August 2010

GREENSLEEVES " The Elephant Truth "
( Self - released ) 2009.
CD - BRAZIL
Progressive metal




Greensleeves are act whose carearre started out in 1993 year, bit during the previous 2009 year, a band has released a first full - length album, entitled " The Elephant Truth". Lyrically, " The Elephant Truth" is a conceptual album , where present songs abstractly and hipothetically
speaks about " the mental journey of a man in coma " . The storyline was inspired by the late John Godfrey Saxe novel - " The Blind Man And The Elephant". Musically, a group has offered own vision of progressive metal options,where also exists enough places for other metal and non metal varianats. Even that complexivities of albun's materials is evident, some comparabilities comes to mind, and in some aspects more psychologically than musically, Greensleeves approach reminds me on late 70's Rush conceptual albums. Also, some traces judging by genre's variants leads to Fates Warning band too, but a Brazilian fellows also shows many authentical conceptual and performing skillness.
In its performings we can find many up tempo changes, rhythmical "turbulences:", and stylish combinations. So, in one theme/song a group recapitulize a metal elements as a power, classic metal and even thrash, but also we can recognize some typical " progressive" 70's traces too.
There's no doubt that Greenslaves did a respectable job, and " The Elephant Truth" delivers many interesting views and prominent ideas.

Rating : 8, 5 / 10
C / o : www.myspace.com/greensleevesbrazil
www.greensleeves.com.br

CORE ZERO - Doxology

CORE ZERO - Doxology

Written by Branimir Lokner
Sunday, 01 August 2010

CORE ZERO " Doxology "
( Core Zero Music ) 2010.
CD
Rock/hard rock - USA




A nucleus of Core Zero band started out in 2005 year. During the forthcoming period a group has suffered from several personal changes, but finally everything comes to right place, and quartet locate in Denver area is ready to promoto debut CD, entitled " Doxology".
Core Zero is comprised of experienced musicians, and their musical offering is nearer to some sort of rock/hard rock options. It's evident that all of 11 present songs from album posses a strong melodicity, and also clear 90's influental trace is common element of complete offering materials. A producer of " Doxology" album was well-known Steve Avedis, established in 80's era, and his signiture is pretty strong.
I personally have some objections on rhythm section threathenings in final mixture, but generally productional work communicate with standards of our time. As a band, Core Zero has showed many emotional aspects in each of present songs, and also complete materials are full of
youthful energy. I would also specially recomand a third song from album as a very convinceble one - " Undefined", but generally a band has
offered mainly equalizing materials.

Rating : 7, 5 / 10
C / o : www.corezeroband.com