Cerakai - I Feel

Cerakai - I Feel (song review) |self-released, 2015| 4/5 rock/punk

If you're looking for an extremely memorable track here's one which is pretty short and has massive hit potential. "I Feel" talks about the importance of understanding the world around you with your heart and soul, not just with cold logic, as expressed in the lyrics: "We believe only what our eyes can see / We don't believe how to feel no more". The downside of an industrialized society is that when someone turns out to be sensitive and uses their feelings rather than the brain or acquired skills, the less empathetic but ego-driven people unfairly judge such an individual as 'weak'. Though, said empaths are a step further - feelings help humans connect with nature, since they come from it, and this link had never ceased to exist. When we go to a forest, we first feel its energy, then our brains recognize colors and sounds, yet all these are frequencies. The living Earth feels our actions, not just physically, but on an energetic level too, thus we must care for this meaningful relationship.

UK based Cerakai's "I Feel" addresses this subject through feisty, dynamic arrangements and an emotional performance. The track opener already gives listeners a taste of the chorus. The rebellious rocking mood turns subtle when the first fire is put out. Technically, the shift between verse and chorus is extremely well synchronized. The verse arrangement is reminiscent of 80s Punk, and New Wave judging by the melodic guitars and recognizable, slightly melancholic vocals.
Cerakai knows well how to serve tension by changing the tempo. Here, it also includes a mix of vocals and a random drum beat, both of which intensify during intersections between verses and the chorus. The voice then turns into a temperamental scream while the instrumental arrangements continue, joined by bass and guitar.

With such a track, Cerakai may reach out to Greenpeace or any other legal ecological organization about its placement on a various artists compilation album (in case they have another musical project to be announced). Undoubtedly, "I Feel" will be a perfect match, with its intense, rebellious vibe and the main theme referring to humanity's increasing ignorance towards its natural environment. It's enough to mention that the pushy industrial society hasn't yet developed any affordable and successful ways to let the entire population escape Earth in case of a global, man-made catastrophe. Hopefully, "I Feel" will raise the awareness of its subject matter among music fans.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, August 31st, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

Source: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=561

Official | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Vevo

Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

Beer Killer - What Else

Beer Killer - What Else (song review) |Dogozilla S.R.L.S, Start Living Or Die Today, 2015| 4/5 hardcore/punk

Beer Killer is an Italian hardcore-punk quintet. The musicians’ influences and sonic experiences vary from metal, hardcore and punk through funky and electronic-dance to classical and jazz genres. The line up includes Fulvio (guitar), Miki (bass), Manuel (drums), Panga (guitar), and Viktor (vocals). Their musical careers began at the end of the 80s, except for Panga who started playing guitar in 1997. They performed several live shows and their tracks were played on various local radio stations. In addition, Miki - a former DJ - collaborated briefly with the once famous indie electronic act Apollo 440.

"What Else" begins with a short electronic arrangement which could illustrate such lofty themes as the Universe and its galaxies, space travel, spirituality, and more in that vein, thanks to its vibration. It then turns into an in-your-face hardcore song, clocking in at less than 3 minutes. The arrangements are fueled with edgy guitars, rebellious vocals and a fast-paced rhythm that emanates rough masculine energy all over.
The two guitars collaborate nicely with the bass in both verses and choruses. The riffs are simple, yet graded to increase the sonic tension when necessary. The intensity and dynamics run high through the entire track and hit listeners like a tornado mixed with a twister. It should be noted that Beer Killer has a very skilled and convincing drummer - Manuel plays like a well-oiled machine on this track! In addition, the drum beat is very exposed, perhaps even stealing the show from other instruments. The vocals are aggressive and coarse, and would definitely sound homely in any hardcore song.

"What Else" is a potential hit to the point that you can definitely see yourself rooting for the band to perform it live. The production sounds a bit dirty however - maybe this is what real hardcore fans like - allowing for a virtual trip to a venue rather than enjoying the track on a home stereo alone. Moreover, the song's arrangements bring back the original feel of old-school American and UK hardcore-crossover sound represented by the likes of Agnostic Front, Disorder or Broken Bones - the bands that inspired Beer Killer to form their own group. If you're in love with Ministry on the other hand, the speedy riffs here will keep you pleased as well.

Beer Killer's forthcoming album Start Living Or Die Today will be out in September 2015, available on iTunes, Amazon and other digital distribution channels. Interesting trivia: the band received the permission of the Madrid Pardo Museum to use a famous painting by Hieronymus Bosch as its cover.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, August 1st, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)
Source: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=559


Facebook | SoundCloud





Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

Cerakai - Against It

Cerakai - Against It (song review) |self-released, Cerakai, 2015| 4/5 Punk/British Rock

Cerakai is a UK based producer and musician with over 10 years of experience in the field. He's been measuring his song writing and compositional skills against various music genres to find the best match for further musical development. Now he presents a brand new punk-rock track, making a solid departure from his previous hip-hop and electronic compositions released on the Within Your Realm solo EP.

"Against It" blooms from the very beginning with open dynamics provided by accented drums and high-pitched guitars, followed then by the bass and straightforward, shouted vocals. The mood and performance are as spontaneous as the punk attitude requires. The vocals have a taste of a 'young & rebellious' yet sound 'metallic', probably thanks to a mic filter. The arrangements are melodic but also include a mix of metal and hardcore sounds. The graded, vibrating guitar riffs and filling drum beats found in the third part of the composition make for a neat change from the simplistic punk rock songs which you may have heard before. The rhythm changes help the composition remain interesting by shifting the listeners' attention.

The song writing as well as the rhythmic, smart and well rhymed lyrics sound great. Consider this: "I was born in the ocean and dragged from the sea, I got goldfish lungs and I can't breathe (…) There's a bunch of vultures cycling me, I gotta find my way back to the sea". As you may suspect, the theme of "Against It" calls out for resisting things you are forced to do against your needs or will and the overall world-wide bigotry supported by the lack of human empathy. The song is quite memorable and could easily engage the audience to sing along with the band's leader when performed live. It may happen soon, as Cerakai is planning a national UK tour to promote the album.

On a final note, a few things you should know. Firstly, the reviewed track is a slightly different version to the final one appearing on the upcoming album, which you'll be able to buy from on-line music distributors in the last quarter of 2015. Secondly, Cerakai doesn't have a solid line-up yet as they've just formed mid-2015 - various guest musicians were invited for the album’s recording while Ben, the group's founder, sings and plays the guitar on each of the twelve songs. Finally, the mastering and production sound as if done a bit intuitively in this version, so an overall cleanup may be needed before the final release, since the current mixdown gives the impression of a live event rather than a studio version. Undoubtedly, the song's quality will be improved for the final release.

Overall, if you like bands that perform for the joy of playing and bringing pure British Rock energy at the speed of 145bpm, then Cerakai's sounds may be ideal for you.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, August 1st, 2015. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)
Source: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=558


Official | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Vevo

Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

VIA - Closets

VIA - Closets (song review) |self-released, Acid EP, 2013| 4/5 hard rock grunge punk

Fresh and highly motivated, here comes VIA - a band from Minnesota founded in 2013, who released their debut EP Acid soon after. The founder, Jason Tuthill (lead vocal, rhythm guitar) met his present band members through social networks and various other online locations. The final line-up includes Jason with Erik 'Evo' Vobejda (lead guitar), Ben Leff (drums) and Justin Von Rueden (bass). All of them had gained musical experience in other bands before VIA.

The EP features "Closets", kept in a grunge vibe since the band is inspired by music of Alice in Chains, Nirvana and QOTSA, amongst others. However, if you listen more attentively to the individual instrumental track, you may hear the song mixes three genres with a hard rock bass, grunge guitars and punk drums.

"Closets" has loads of dynamics and energy, so it must sound entertaining during live shows. The song doesn't carry any aggression, depth or any specific heaviness. The entire composition sounds solid and very guitar-driven with leading 'dirty' motifs. The drum parts are as fundamental as you'd expect from a punk or alternative rock track - pure dynamics rather than showing off. Arrangements aren't complicated or experimental either, thus rock music purists should enjoy them best. Jason's vocals match genres and the arrangements mentioned above really well. What's most important, choruses are very catchy thanks to the melody. Since the track is short and lively enough, it should be accepted by most of rock and college radio stations.

Regardless the song's garage-like flavour, it still may need better production, as the instruments sound a bit flat. Individual short guitar passages (aside from rhythm guitars) could have been underlined better as they splash fresh accents onto the background.

The musicians are currently working on a full album to be out by the summer of 2014 and planning a national tour. Whether VIA plays to enjoy the moment or evolves into an established group - you will know only if you follow the newest updates on their official website and social outlets.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, April 16th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)
This review on Fabryka Music Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=532





Official | ReverbNation | Facebook | Myspace | PureVolume | SoundCloud | Twitter | Vimeo | YouTube

Buy on: Official store

Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

Dead Day Revolution - Children of the Night

Dead Day Revolution - Children of the Night (song review) |self-released, On Our Own, 2013| 5/5

Los Angeles based trio, Dead Day Revolution was founded by Mike Sandoz (vocals/guitars) and Skeeter Joplin (drums) in 2009. Bass player, Cristian Sturba joined the band soon after. This viral and actively social collective of musicians has been working on a debut album for the last two years. Here is it’s foretaste.

"Children of the Night" is a title well known in both literature and music. The original song, by Dead Day Revolution sounds truly passionate. It is performed with a rebellious drive, quite typical in Punk-Rock music. How else would this style of musicians express their opinions if not making it loud and noisy? Yet the vibe remains positive.

The track starts with noisy guitars that basically take the lead. The riffs are then joined by solid, memorable vocals. Mike purposely vibrates his voice like John Lydon (Sex Pistols) to create an impression of impatience in this already high-energy song. Impatience is a key characteristic of getting ready for an action. Whoever has an idea and is driven towards making changes will feel impatient, wanting to make them happen. Thus, these musicians make a call to action instead of expressing their views through passive criticism.
It should be also mentioned that both drummer and bass player perfectly cooperate throughout the entire song, very well mixed and produced by Larry Goetz.

This track is short enough for a radio exposure (3:24) but extensive in its detail as well. The composition utilizes a method of balancing moods through slowing down the rhythm in the other half. Without it, the song might have sounded overwhelming to a listener's ears due to its fast tempo.

"Children of the Night" has hit potential as well, since it is repetitive but by no means boring. If you're looking for music similar to what's been offered by Green Day, Billy Idol, PIL or Smashing Pumpkins, you should give a listen to Dead Day Revolution too. Their music will not only fit your personal playlist, but college radio stations as well.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, May 6th, 2013. Proofreading: SanDeE)
On Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=480

Official | Facebook | SoundCloud | ReverbNation | YouTube | Last.FM | Myspace | OurStage | Twitter

Buy on: CD Baby

Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

Paper Dolls - Quietly Killed

Paper Dolls - Quietly Killed (song review) |self-released, DILF Parade, 2012| 3/5

American duo Matthew 'Sosam' Banks and Ramon 'Saysong' Madera founded Paper Dolls in 2012. Despite the young age of the band, the musicians have recorded two albums so far - DILF Parade which is still available for a free download, and the recently released, Here's To Getting On With It: Part One. Beyond that the band publishes new songs weekly, appearing to either be following the new Indie DIY business method or simply enjoying their own creativity.

"Quietly Killed" was released on DILF Parade. The song is built upon repetitive and simplified arrangements and falls into a Punk genre definition. However, there's some duality in Paper Dolls’ music. The seemingly airy, chaotic and hallucinatory mood of the song results from solid calculation. While a dirty guitar continuously fills the entire track (with a few solos), the bass and drums work well together keeping the listener focused on a tense but jumping rhythm. The musicians are tight and perform very well together on this composition.

Most of Paper Dolls’ songs including "Quietly Killed" could be compared to early 80s music, presented by such bands as Sex Pistols, Joy Division, The Pixies, Sonic Youth and The Smiths. There are also echoes of Talking Heads when it comes to the vocals, performed in an "I'm high, I'm nervous and I'm lost" frame of mind, delivered by a fragile man.

On the downside, quality still matters. Apparently, a mastering concept chosen was to make "Quietly Killed" sound gritty. Sadly, only its quality feels lowered. As a result, the song fractures when played on a generic, domestic audio playback device. EQ settings may need adjustment to avoid buzzing and other harmonic distortion. Undoubtedly the cost of professional mastering may seem too expensive for the average musician, but good quality mastering can let a song keep its 'garage-like' quality without making it sound poor. Since Paper Dolls may have a chance to become a New Artist Discovery, hopefully they can find a way to cover such an expense through fundraising possibilities.

This band hasn't played any shows yet but it seems the musicians are looking to match opportunities. Be sure to visit their Reverbnation and Jango pages for fresh updates.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, April 5th, 2013. Proofreading: SanDeE)

This review on Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=475

Official | ReverbNation | Facebook | Jango
Buy: ReverbNation

Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

NeverWhas - History

NeverWhas - History |self-released, History single, 2012| 5/5

Usually a rock or metal band line-up consist of three to five musicians who are strangers. They might have known each other for years, gone to the same schools, hung out in the same neighborhood or just got hired through classifieds. In the case of NeverWhas, three brothers and a good friend of theirs complete the band. It's pretty common that a family enterprise can be difficult to run. Sometimes this is due to their specific connections, however these four young musicians seem to get along with one another very well.

Since releasing their album Solid Will Into Sacrifice in 2011, they've been working on new songs.

A yet untitled tracklist for the album will include 11 songs and "History" is one of them.

The composition as well as the arrangements sound solid, simple, understandable and can be played in most locations without stirring bad blood. Along with quite rebellious moods, NeverWhas provides over six minutes of both rock and punk music.

After an atmospheric intro created with canting guitar riffs and matching cymbals the tempo speeds up. Chris on bass along with Rick on drums make a collaborative duo that pushes the song into a well planned direction. Moreover, they both control its borders, yet let the vibe of "History" flow in a dynamic way. Additionally, enjoyable and short drums appear just before the 4th minute of the song which may steal a listener's attention.

This song is built on a few arrangements that make a space for Nik's guitar solos. The guitar sounds quite noisy and garage-esque, so the sound would match an evergreen grunge style too.

Mike's voice is self-confident. He toys with the tones and moods like a serious actor on a theatre stage floor. In fact, the vocals and guitar riffs are predominantly exposed the most in this song.

If you're willing to own this track after reading this review or listening to an on-line preview, there's good news for you. "History" has already been released as a single and it's available on iTunes. More songs will come out this year. Keep an eye on these Chicagoans website and social profiles for any important updates.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, April 13^th, 2012)

http://www.neverwhas.com

http://facebook.com/pages/the-band-that-NeverWhas/42574784378

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/history-single/id518419188

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/neverwhas/from/fabryka

Reviewed by Google+ Music Reviews