ninehertz

I got this demo through the post from James of Hey Colossus, who are one of my favourite UK bands, so I was looking forward to what James has come up with now: a more stripped-down format from the mammoth of Hey Colossus.

And it does not disappoint....

From the outset, it's got some solid riffing a la Mean Time-era Helmet or Handsome or even the heavier end of Quicksand. The songs are pretty driving; in fact, I could imagine driving down an open US highway listening to this.

Track three, "10 Years", is a stand-out track, and its dynamics really do the business. It's dynamically sound and has several nice changes. It's also the best song for actually hearing the vocals; the others seem to have the vocals buried way down deep in the mix. Which actually doesn't seem to affect the tracks - it actually makes them sound like another instrument sitting in with the excellent riffs.

Also of note is the last song, the more blissed-out "Klaus", which still riffs like a motherfucker, but takes a while to gain pace and, boy, it does that with style.

It's fair to say they sound nothing like Hey Colossus, except they have stonking riffs like the big man. But if you like straight no-nonsense riffs and well-written and played metal with a dash of hardcore... then get this demo off these chaps - a superb effort.

Now, where's my Pontiac Firebird? I'll be off for a cruise!