Wednesday 21 May 2014

Into The Further - Rollin' Sixes EP (Review)

Album Type : EP
Date Released : 24/4/2014
Label : DIY/Self Release

Track Listing :

1). Pink Elephants 03:32
2). Burn the World 03:00
3). Windowpain 03:25
4). Butterflies Lie 03:39
5). Smitten 04:21
6). Maggot King 02:49

The Band :

David Beard | Vocals & Guitar
Drew Johnson | Bass & Vocals
Bill Seals | Drums & Vocals

Review :

Obviously the South is known for Southern Rock, but there are several other things the South is also known for.....

1. Sweating out Saturday night's sin's in church on Sunday mornings. Don't laugh! If you're from the South, you've been guilty of this and you will do it at least 100 more times.

2. Music – all kinds whether it be Rap/R&B, Southern Sleaze, Punk Rock, Gospel or some of the most Godawful Southern Rock cover bands you've ever heard.

3. Good ole boys – hillbillies/rednecks. Nothing wrong in that, I'm from the South, I'm country as cornbread and damned proud.

Let's get down to business and get back on track, shall we? The latest thing the good ole state of Ga. has birthed, comes to us in the form of a three piece band called Into The Further. The band's first release is an EP entitled “Rollin' Sixes”. This band is apparently DIY from top to bottom – no record label, no manager, no nothing; just sheer passion, attitude and the will to stay hungry. You can't argue with that – too many fat cats trying to get paid off the back of a killer band's hard work in the music business these days. It's a much needed breath of fresh air to see a band suffer just to get their music out to the masses.

Opening track, “Pink Elephants”, comes roaring out the gate with a thundering bass riff that'll flat knock your dick in the dirt! From here the listener is stuffed into the trunk of an old hot rod and taken for an emotional romp all up and down the back roads where the influences of Reverend Horton Heat and Golden Earring bleed out all over the place. It's an emotional thrill ride of musical shenanigans – the choruses are a blitzkrieg of drum rolls, guitar dives backed with soaring vocals. Next up is a track called “Burn The World”; here is where the band's songwriting/musicianship shines the brightest as the focus is on the hook/melody and lyrics. Vocally, this maybe the best tune of the album; guitarist/vocalist Beard does a stellar job bringing the listener with his vocals; quite reminiscent of Joe Lynn Turner's vocal work heard during his time with Rainbow.

Bringing in the heavy is the tune “Windowpain”, this tune is all about the hook and groove, whether it be the riffs, bass lines or the vocals. Rhythmically, I'm most pleased with this tune as the tandem of Johnson & Seals slide nicely into each others pocket and ride out smiling. The lead break plunders into a nice breakdown and Beard flat rips out a smokin' lead break that would make any guitarist under the sun jealous. The oddball and the filthiest off the EP is the track “Smitten”. While it has the feel of a ballad, it's quite the opposite; maybe you could say it's the ballad of a serial killer. Beard describes in great detail what he'd like to do, amongst those things, are gouging out eyes and blacking out smiles – the sick boy in me is quite turned on! Adding to the already eeriness of the tune are furious leads breaks, off kilter melodies and sullen vocals/desperate gasps for air.

There are two more tunes on this EP to devour, but you'll have to see for yourself.

For an independent DIY band, Into The Further have put their best foot forward with the “Rollin' Sixes” EP. I hear a ton of 80's/90's Metal/Rock influences with subtle nods to bands of the millennium. Not bad at all for a band from the Bible belt, apparently that strap has taught them a lot. Pick this up in digital format or get a hard copy today – you don't wanna miss this! It's melody driven, riddled with hooks and held down by a blisterin' rhythm section!

Words by: Southern Assassin

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