Evolution - Hip Bobsha

Boys and girls this has been a tremendous week for the Synic Spins camp. My inbox has been getting music review requests from all over this big blue marble. Today's request comes to us from the majestic faraway land of Rhode Island. Hip Bobsha is a self-described rock, blues, & folk band that was "brewed up and left to ferment." Their words, not mine. Their influences come from early 90s rock bands, including RHCP, Pearl Jam, Phish, and Grateful Dead. Upon hearing their newest EP "Evolution," I can 100% hear their influence here.

Admittedly, and I have never done this before, but upon starting their EP for the first time, I accidentally shuffled it, so I started with "From The Treetops" rather than "The Rope Climber." Whoops a daisy... See what I did there, Hip Bobsha?

Anyway, getting into it with the first track "The Rope Climber," I can immediately hear their influences. It is a solid opening track for an EP, as the very beginning of the song hits you with an engaging guitar intro that pulls you in almost immediately. Eventually they mellow out a little and the bluesy folk-rock commences. On top of the pile of influences mentioned above, after hearing the entire EP I would even add bands like 311 and R.E.M. into the mix. The way the songs are composed, with the catchy guitar parts and mellow vocals, reminds me very much of 311 or a mellow and drug-free Sublime. It is the singer's tone when he is delivering some of the louder, harder notes where he reminds me of Michael Stipe of R.E.M. (There are some parts when he almost sounds like a reggae Elvis Costello as well...)

"The Wellspring" takes a slight departure from these influences, and focuses on a lighter melody with a still very folky percussive drive underneath it. Sonically it works quite well. I even appreciate the whistling interludes. It's quite the fun listen, the only drawback to it is the tragically abrupt ending that almost feels as if it comes in the middle of the phrase. It seems to me that they could have done something different here, perhaps a fade-out or lighter guitar and whistling outro, rather than finishing on the vocal.

The most promising song at first glance was "Empire Blues," as you know Synic LOVES a good blues track. The guitar tone on this song is so dirty and bluesy I absolutely love it. I could smell beer and feel my feet sticking to a dirty hardwood floor while I listened to it. Unfortunately, that guitar doesn't last forever, as the blues gets periodically interrupted by some 311 reggae-folky interludes. It hurts me for this to happen as I am a massive blues fan, but alas life goes on.

For me, the weakness of this EP comes with the longer jam-band compositions. But that is entirely personal. I'm not a jam-band guy, never was, never will be. I knew I was in trouble when they claim their influences are Grateful Dead and RHCP, two groups on my least-favorite-bands-of-all-time list. Tracks like "Evenings of Sound" and "Dust" get repetitive and long for me, and they are each 7+ minutes of what feels like the same 6 measures of original music on repeat. 

As a whole, I think the EP would value from stronger mixing. I felt that the guitar was tragically washed out by some of the other components that were turned up too high. There was a long while during "From The Treetops" that I felt was far too treble-heavy, and I thought that tuning it down a bit and upping the bass. However, it was a very fun listen and it is clear to me that these guys have played music for a long time and they know how to write a song.

Evolution - Hip Bobsha

7 - 8 - 2015

1. The Rope Climber

2. The Wellspring

3. From The Treetops

4. Empire Blues

5. Evenings Of Sound

6. Dust

Favorite Track: The Wellspring

Least Favorite Track: From The Treetops

Rating: 6.4

Toxicity - The Unknown Brothers

 Ladies and gentlemen, these posts are my favorite to write. Just two days ago, I received yet another review request from overseas. This time, the artist seeking my two cents came to me from Wales. Known as The Unknown Brothers (see what I did there?), they are a self described eclectic pop-rock songwriting duo with 60s vibes. Though upon listening to their newest single, "Toxicity," I'm not sure that this description is entirely accurate. I don't believe I would use the word "eclectic" to describe their sound, however placing them in the 60s was absolutely spot on. I personally would drop them somewhere between '66 and '70, and below I will explain why. Their website offers a different bio, in which they call themselves melodic indie pop-rock, which I believe is right on the money.

Their newest single, "Toxicity," features a beautiful melody, achieved by an acoustic guitar paired with a harmony of two male voices, which, to me, very closely resembles the signature sound of Simon and Garfunkel. One song that comes to mind is "The Sound of Silence," which was released in 1966, as mentioned earlier. So where does 1970 fit in? Ask Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, for "Toxicity" is also very reminiscent of their sound, specifically in the 1970 song "Our House."

As I have done in previous posts for single songs, as I can't pick a favorite and least favorite track, I will simply discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the lone song at hand.

Something that this song did very well, firstly, is the mixing. Each component of the song (guitars, vocals, backing vocals, percussion, etc) was mixed damn-near perfectly. There was not one second during any of my several listens of the song where I wish the vocals were turned up more, which is a common problem among younger indie bands. I thought the simple percussion throughout the track kept low provided a subtle backing rhythm for the melody and harmonies above it.

Another strength is the message behind the lyrics. Toxic masculinity is something that is widely seen throughout the world, and in popular culture, but it is rarely discussed or brought into the spotlight. Kudos to this duo for shining a light on the pressure that nearly every man in the world has felt at least once in his life.

Furthermore, the guitar melody and harmonies were the strongest part of this track, and they consistently stayed that way throughout the entire 3:10. However, I have to talk about the weaker part of the song. Someone listening to the song with me pointed out something that I may not have ever noticed myself. Each verse features the same lyrical pattern. While it fits the melody of the song beautifully, it does get repetitive and sonically disinteresting towards the end.

Time for Synic's final thoughts. Overall, I really like what these guys are doing with their sound. They are bringing back the golden age of harmonization. While it is not a sound I actively seek out to listen to on my own, it was actually a pleasure to analyze this song for The Unknown Brothers and I look forward to seeing where they go from here.

"Toxicity" - The Unknown Brothers

Synic Selects Vol. VI - The Over-Playlist

 Truth be told, guys, I really didn't know how to follow my last Synic Selects compilation. The Songs That Shaped Me was deeply personal, and writing it was immensely reflective, nostalgic, and just plain fun to throw together. So how the hell do I follow that?

Then I realized, you guys have heard enough gushing from me about the handful of bands listed below, maybe it's time I talk some shit about them. Nobody's perfect, and my favorite bands are no exception to the rule. So below is a collection of the songs I find to be the most overrated, by the bands that I hold the highest above the rest. Keep in mind that I am not saying the songs below are each band's worst song, just simply the one I consider to be the most overrated. So remember that before your feelings get hurt.

Hope you get a kick out of it, though admittedly all I could do was cringe while putting this playlist together.

1. AC/DC - Shoot To Thrill

It's no secret to any of you that AC/DC are my favorite band of all time. That in mind, it is my belief that every song they've ever shat out is pure gold. Or multi-platinum, in the case of 1980's Back In Black. BIB is the band's massive break-through record featuring 10 tracks, 10 hits. Here we are now, 40 years later and you still can't listen to classic rock radio for an hour without hearing one of the songs from this record. However, I can almost guarantee that it will pretty much always be either "Hell's Bells," "You Shook Me...," "Back In Black," or "Shoot To Thrill." But... why? In a 5-star record such as this how can you possibly select just a small handful to keep in the regular shuffle 40 years later? I especially find myself questioning the longevity of the powerful-yet-generic "Shoot To Thrill." If anything, this song to me, purely exists to foreshadow the bands plummet down the rabbit hole of writing songs exclusively about rock n roll and sex. So why is "Shoot To Thrill" a setlist staple for the band, but the tragically under appreciated "What Do You Do For Money Honey," "Let Me Put My Love Into You," and "Shake A Leg" are widely ignored? Riddle me that.

2. The Offspring - Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)

Every novice Offspring fan's favorite song, every true long-time Offspring fan's least favorite. I will admit, there was a time when I truly loved this song. Maybe a part of me still does. But there is no reason why this song was such a massive hit, and now permanent setlist fixture, for an established PUNK band. Granted, The Offspring sway from the punk definition on every record, but very rarely do one of these odd tracks become such a beloved track. Americana contains two such songs: "Pretty Fly" and "Why Don't You Get A Job?" If "Get A Job" charted higher than "Pretty Fly," then that one would have made the list instead.

3. Van Halen - Jump

Van Halen's ONLY #1 song. Why? Because it's the most typical-80s crap the band ever produced. Guitar God Eddie Van Halen wicked around with a synthesizer and wrote a silly tune so dumb that even Dave didn't want to write lyrics to it. When he finally did, he wrote them about a man on a ledge who didn't have the balls to jump. True story. So let me be clear here: fuck "Jump." So before you hop on the bandwagon and blame Sammy Hagar for the band's transition to synthesizers instead of face-melting riffs, blame the success of this atrocity of a song.

4. Halestorm - Do Not Disturb

I did not immediately dislike this song when I first heard it, but I didn't necessarily love it either. Truth be told, anything Lzzy and Co. produce is something I will most likely enjoy. But this song is one that I quickly grew tired of. Lyrically, its arousing and dirty rock n roll, which you know I love. But sonically? It's very meh. It's entirely rhythm driven, with a rather boring rhythm that the entire composition is based around. Complete with a somewhat forgettable guitar riff, I find myself wondering why this song was a lead single rather than some of the stronger tracks that come later on the record.

5. Disturbed - Stupify

I could talk for HOURS about how important to me The Sickness is. I love this album. I don't love every track, in fact there are a couple that I will skip 9 out of 10 times. While Stupify is not my least favorite track on the record, it is the highest-charting track that I often find myself skipping and wondering why it is such a staple for the band's live show. Maybe it is because of the band-crowd interaction it inspires, "all the people in the left wing... all the people in the right wing... etc," but regardless, The Sickness contains other tracks that I find to be far superior and under-appreciated compared to this one. "God of the Mind" and "Meaning of Life" specifically come to mind.

6. Joan Jett - Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah!)

One of Joan Jett's long string of hits that she didn't write. I love Joan Jett, I can't imagine a world without her, but look at her setlists from the last 30 years. if she plays 16 songs, 14-15 of them are covers. So of all of these, why did I pick "Do You Wanna Touch Me?" Easy. Gary Glitter. Not only is the song itself just simply mindless and dumb, but Gary Glitter himself is a truly disgusting human being. Browse his wikipedia page if you are unfamiliar, then forget he ever existed and pretend that Joan wrote this song herself, like the rest of the world has been doing since 1981. 

7. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride & Joy

Refer to my earlier point about "Shoot To Thrill." Over the course of his career, SRV wrote countless blues jams and powerful riffs that redefined Texas blues-rock. So why is it that when you turn on the radio and IF he comes on at all, it is ALWAYS "Pride & Joy?" Explain this to me. Please. I could blindly pull a song from his discography and I guarantee I will have pulled a lesser-known track that I would rather listen to 10/10 times over P&J. Is it a bad song? Of course not. But SRV definitely has better.

8. Warrant - Cherry Pie

This is a song that even the band wishes didn't exist. When they were cutting their sophomore record, Warrant originally intended for it to be titled after the lead single, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," however the record company felt that they needed a stronger, more anthemic track to serve as the lead single. So, an annoyed band wrote and slapped together "Cherry Pie," one of their biggest hits (and permanent encore track) ever. An obvious and lazy metaphor, with obnoxious and repetitive lyrics. I find it personally offensive that something as lyrically juvenile could ever supersede something as brilliantly written as "Uncle Tom's Cabin." There are several other tracks on this record that I believe far outshine "Cherry Pie" as well. Needless to say, if I were building a Warrant mixtape, "Cherry Pie" would be the LAST track I thought to include.

9. Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home

Full disclosure, I don't have much to say about this one. It's a good power ballad, but they have better songs than this one. I listen to it regularly, but it is far from my favorite of their catalogue.

10. Five Finger Death Punch - The Bleeding

This is the only charting single from 5FDP's debut record. Even from someone who loves metal such as myself, this one is too much for me. It is instrumentally disengaging, and the vocals are very tragically delivered. Ivan sacrifices his surprisingly beautiful singing voice for his agonizingly abrasive screams and wails. Good news, though. The album includes an acoustic version of the song as a bonus track. The bad news, it's somehow just as bad as the original. Of all the songs on this playlist, there are really only two that I truly dislike. This is one of them.

11. Nickelback - Photograph

This is the other one.

12. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

The iconic riff to this came from a warm-up session Slash was noodling around with before heading into the studio to record Appetite For Destruction. Axl loved the riff so much he demanded they record it. So they had a full tracks worth of guitar, bass and drums, but they only had half a song's worth of lyrics. So in the studio, Axl found himself asking the band "Where do we go now? Where do we go?" But they ran out of ideas, so they recorded 2 minutes worth of "Where do we go now?" This is arguably one of the most iconic rock songs ever recorded, but it is far from the best track on Appetite. (Looking at you, Nightrain...)

Bonus: "Weird Al" Yankovic - The Saga Begins

This is far from being "Weird Al"'s highest-charting track, but it IS a parody of the also overrated "American Pie" by Don McClean. The lyrics are simply a synopsis of The Phantom Menace, which is Episode 1 of the ALSO highly-overrated Star Wars movie franchise. What's more, this song will be 50% of Al's encores at every live show he will perform from 1999 to present. That said, I will still sing every word along with him when I am in the audience, but I will also tell you 10/10 times that I would've rather heard literally any other song that he recorded. Enough is enough, bro.

So anyway, that's it. You made it to the end. Congratulations. Or should I say I'm sorry? Either way, thanks for tuning in.

Synic Selects Vol. VI: The Over-Playlist

1. AC/DC - Shoot To Thrill

2. The Offspring - Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)

3. Van Halen - Jump

4. Halestorm - Do Not Disturb

5. Disturbed - Stupify

6. Joan Jett - Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah!)

7. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride & Joy

8. Warrant - Cherry Pie

9. Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home

10. Five Finger Death Punch - The Bleeding

11. Nickelback - Photograph

12. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

Bonus: "Weird Al" Yankovic - The Saga Begins

Wealth of Time - Pepe and The Bandits

 Here's a nice and easy one for you. By request, the gang over at Pepe and The Bandits sent me their latest single, "Wealth of Time," and asked that I might provide some feedback on it. I'm not super big on reviewing singles, as I feel it doesn't really give me enough insight as to who the band truly is and who they are trying to be, however I am not one to turn down an artist who so bravely and graciously asked for my two cents. So, away we go.

"Wealth of Time" is a tender ballad about the experience of aging and our years passing us by. It features a beautiful acoustic melody, and even more beautiful lyrics. It's truly like poetry. As I have said in many previous posts, slow songs are not my favorite thing in the world. So it took me a minute to really get engaged in this track. But in my second, third, and even fourth listen of it, I started to appreciate it more and more. With every new listen I caught a different lyric, that added something new to the message of the song. So for my slow song fans out there, I do recommend you give this one a try.

In a typical Synic Spins review post, I'll give my favorite and least favorite tracks, followed by a rating of the record out of 10. Since I'm only doing one song in this case, I won't do any of that, instead I'll just briefly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the track. The two elements of "Wealth of Time" that really stand out for me are the beautifully played acoustic guitar melody throughout the entire composition, and the lyrics themselves. Sonically, the guitar part is like a ray of sunlight breaking through the rainclouds. Cheesy metaphor, I know, but it's an accurate one, nonetheless. The lyrics are like poetry to me. Simple poetry, perhaps, as it is riddled with cliches and typical metaphors that we've all heard before. But when you consider the entire purpose of this song is to relate to those metaphors and use them as a means of comforting listeners who fear the process of growing old, it somehow works.

The biggest weaknesses, for me, are also twofold. The first glaring issue I have with this song is the spoken word part in the song's intro. There's a loud ticking clock, paired with the whispered words "There's no time..." repeated over and over. It leads me to feel almost uncomfortable and anxious, as one might feel when watching a scary movie when the protagonist enters a dark room and their flashlight is dying. Then the acoustic melody commences and that feeling drifts away, in a very sudden and confusing manner. Simply put, I'm not sure the intro really fits the whole sound and tone of the rest of the song. My other hesitation with this song, though this one is very minor compared to my first point, is the ending. It ends very abruptly on the last lyric, followed by an unsteady beeping of a heart monitor. Again, I'm not crazy about this and I don't really feel it fits all that well with the rest of the song. The beginning, sure, but the core of it? not so much.

All in all, "Wealth of Time" really comes together as a beautiful acoustic ballad. That is something I never thought I would say in one of these reviews. While I am very unsure of the intro and outro to the piece, it's the heart of the song that I really appreciated.

Everybody Else Is Taken - Pin Stripes

 Americana from Sweden. If your immediate response to that was "....what the fuck?" then we started off on the same page, as that was my gut reaction to the Pin Stripes following me on Twitter. It caught me very much by surprise to see a band from outside the US label themselves as "Americana" when ultimately Americana is only a patriotic form of folk rock that was born in, you guessed it, America. Oddly enough, the dynamic duo of Pin Stripes somehow achieves the Americana spirit and sound regardless of their country of origin. Before hitting play on the first track, I found myself forming a prejudice, as you might have expected upon reading this post's opening remark. But then it occurred to me that if IKEA can make it in America, so can Pin Stripes.

The album Everybody Else Is Taken opens with "Steel Machine," a track which, looking ahead at the tracks after it, is not the song I would've chosen to open the album. However, it does do what the opening track of a band's debut record should do. It introduces listeners to their unique brand of IKEA Rock. The track features a solid driving rhythm accompanied by an engaging acoustic riff and true-to-form Americana vocals. While it may not be as strong as some of the tracks to come, it does feature some strong vocal harmonies in the chorus.

In fact, one of the big elements that I enjoyed the most throughout the whole record were the vocal harmonies. One big gripe I have with the record is that there just wasn't enough of them. The second track of the record "Roll Me Away" features more of these harmonies than the track before, so it was a big step in the right direction.

Next comes "Blue Sky," a rhythm-driven anthem which is so true-to-form Americana, that it very closely resembles a "Death To My Hometown," a song by Americana icon Bruce Springsteen. Listen to both and you'll see what I mean. It isn't a rip-off by any means, but they share a very similar attitude and feel.

The following two tracks are, in my opinion, the strongest on the whole record. "The Preacher" has the most energy, the most attitude, and most style of the 10 track collection. What's more, I believe it also has the strongest lyrics of every track. "Fake Honey," however, cools off a little from the previous track. My favorite thing about this one is the engaging vocal pattern. Something about the singer's fluctuations in each line keep me engaged and interested throughout the whole composition.

For me, the weakest point of the record comes with "Let Me Be Me." It is not a bad song per se, however the vibe it gives off does not fit within the Americana tone that is present within every other track on the record. It almost sounds like something that would be playing at an Indian buffet. I don't know how else to describe it, listen to it and maybe you'll see what I mean.

Admittedly, I don't have much to say about the closing tracks of the album. Some of them are considerably slower than the previous ones, so my loyal readers already know that my interest in these songs is considerably lower than the previous ones. In some of these slower songs, the singer's voice and tone reminded me of White Lion singer Mike Tramp, combined with sea shanties.

As a whole, my biggest issue with the album is the way each song ends. I'm not convinced that the artist knew just how to end each song, so they just abruptly cut it off when they ran out of lyrics. After some of their strongest songs, the abrupt ending was unfortunately clunky and awkward.

Upon further reflection, I can definitely see myself listening to future releases from Pin Stripes. They're young and unique, and what I appreciate about them is that they're bringing a retired 70s rock sub-genre back to the spotlight.

Everybody Else Is Taken - Pin Stripes

4 - 17 - 2020

1. Steel Machine

2. Roll Me Away

3. Blue Sky

4. The Preacher

5. Fake Honey

6. Let Me Be Me

7. Poison Ivy

8. Wild One

9. Emily

10. The World Keeps Turning

Favorite Track: The Preacher

Least Favorite Track: Let Me Be Me

Rating: 6.4

Isotopia EP (Remastered) - Vibraveil

 Some of you guys who have found yourselves in the depths of my blog may recognize the name Vibraveil. Back in June a brave soul by the name of Nardo requested that I listen to his band's album. Well here we are, 4 months later, and the young lad Nardo decided he wanted to come back for more. This time around, however, he sent me his bands first ever EP, which had since been remastered and remixed. The EP is titled Isotopia, and going into it I thought I knew generally what to expect. I thought that because I knew Vibraveil's newest material, then I probably knew what this first EP would sound like. But boy was I wrong.

The four tracks on this EP are a bit of an auditory Whitman's Sampler. Each track is wildly different from the one before it. The opening track "Inside the Windmill," quite honestly, was the weakest of the bunch. And as soon as the song started I knew it would be. I mean, come on dude... Rain? Really? Bro. It reminds me of The Arctic Monkeys maybe, only with the tempo lowered considerably. The balance between the vocals and the instrumentation on this track works quite nicely, however.

Track 2 was something quite different. "Everyone Loves Classical Guitar" is appropriately titled, as it proves to be a beautifully composed acoustic instrumental. The first minute of the song is quite evocative, as hearing it puts me on the back of a horse riding through the old west. My only critique of this track is a harsh and abrupt transition, or tempo change, just over one minute in. Once it returns to the original melody at about 1:40ish, I'm brought right back in.

Track 3. "The Terminal Tidemaster," AKA #4 on the top 10 rejected Batman villains list. The composition features a lovely melody, in fact the riff is quite hypnotic at first. Like a Spanish guitar method of playing. It almost puts me on a nice, tranquil beachfront. My issue with this song is the vocals. The vocals on this track are turned up very high, so they almost cloak that Spanish guitar entirely. The lyrics aren't amazing, but for a band's first EP this is entirely forgivable as the songwriter likely hasn't found their voice yet. With the high notes resonating through the thinner strings of the guitar, I am looking for a deeper toned voice to balance it out. What we are given instead is a mismatched tone, where the vocals and guitar are almost competing for the spotlight.

Track 4 is the grand finale. The title track. "Isotopia." The 9 and a half minute epic that opens with what sounds like the intro sound from old Looney Tunes shorts. The riff and rhythm that follow sound almost exactly like that of "Stray Cat Strut" by The Stray Cats. Perhaps at a slower tempo. Call me crazy, but I think he's even singing in a similar style and register to Brian Setzer himself. Somewhere around 2 minutes begins a very unique guitar solo-jam-breakdown thing, that I would listen to for the whole 9 minutes and 36 seconds.

At the end of the day, upon reaching the conclusion of this newly-remastered EP, I can see how they arrived at the metal Pearl Jam / alternative Tool sound that I found on Dissolute. There really is no definitive way I can make an overarching statement about the whole EP, as it doesn't really come together as one cohesive unit. Like any EP it is simply a collection of songs to introduce listeners to the band's unique sound, and this EP certainly accomplishes that. If this EP was all I knew from Vibraveil, I know for sure that I would not have the slightest idea what to expect from their forthcoming debut album.

Hats off to you, Nardo and company. You've come a long way from Isotopia, and I very much look forward to hearing what comes next. The rating you see below might sting a little, but keep in mind that this is your early work, and you've grown considerably since then. Keep fighting the good fight.

Isotopia - Vibraveil

1. Inside The Windmill

2. Everyone Loves Classical Guitar

3. The Terminal Tidemaster

4. Isotopia

Favorite Track: Everyone Loves Classical Guitar

Least Favorite Track: Inside The Windmill

Rating: 5.6

A Distant Call - Sheer Mag

 Alright gang, before we get into it I have some questions for you to ponder:

1. What would happen if Judas Priest was a riot grrrl band?

2. What would happen if Motley Crue and The Go-Go's had a baby?

3. What would Cyndi Lauper sound like if she were in a punk rock band?

4. How do we revive 1987?

Good news, I have the answer to all 4 of the questions above. The answer? Sheer Mag.

Someone near and dear to me recently brought these guys (and gal) into my musical radar, and it was love at first listen. As many of my readers know, I am a big fan of all things punk, rock, and metal. And recently I had been on a massive female-singer binge. Well this record is an amalgamation of all those things. It's essentially riot grrrl punk rock metal salad, and that's a salad that even the most Ron Swanson of music listeners can get behind.

The record I'm talking about is A Distant Call, the sophomore record from Philadelphia punk/power pop band Sheer Mag. The album cover grabs you right away, and takes you back to the late 80s, as if you were flipping through Judas Priest records in your local shop. And the opening track doesn't fall far from the tree, either. "Steel Sharpens Steel" sounds as if a metal band wrote a punk song. Or a punk band wrote a metal song. And why is that? because one did. Them.

The tracks that follow mellow down from the high-octane opener, but that does not mean they lose their energy or their power by any means. "Blood From A Stone," "Chopping Block," and "The Killer" specifically stand out to me. Actually, after my first and second listen, it's still hard to point out one track that doesn't hold up among the rest. Writing this now I'm struggling to come up with a least favorite track.

Long story short, I am eternally grateful to the wonderful human being that brought this band into my radar. I regret the time I wasted not having heard this band before, and I look forward to the future to see where these guys (and gal) go from here. They're young, they're hungry, and they're just getting started.

A Distant Call - Sheer Mag

8 - 23 - 2019

1. Steel Sharpens Steel

2. Blood From a Stone

3. Unfound Manifest

4. Silver Line

5. Hardly To Blame

6. Cold Sword

7. Chopping Block

8. The Right Stuff

9. The Killer

10. Keep On Runnin'

Favorite Track: Steel Sharpens Steel

Least Favorite Track: Keep On Runnin'

Rating: 8.8