The Howl - Next Report 2:35
This Barakaldo band The Howl is a female-led metal band that represents a slightly cross-genre effort. But, first, it is just awesome to see the feminine angle being explored more in metal. There are still not that not many women front metal bands but Miriam of The Howl has a very strong voice that compliments well the rock music that really is The Howl. There are songs on Next report 2:35 (I do not know to what the title refers) that are on the heavy side of rock and are surely like metal, but there are others that plant The Howl squarely in the middle of the rock genre. I prefer the riffs of Nightwish and I prefer the pagan influence as well in the sound. The Howl is really a traditional rock band (of course, I can not say exactly what tradition of rock they represent) that sometimes throw down power chords that some call metal. So even though this review is posted at BRUTALISM.com, the band is really a no frills rock band that is not even as heavy as their name implies.
But sometimes, especially in the CD’s “Good Night and Good Luck,” Miriam’s voice cracks and breaks like a mellow Layne Staley. Then in tracks such as “1 Bullet,” the riffs pick up and the voice gets manipulated with effects. It is in fact with this track and a few others that the band is barred from pop status and gets to see the metal playground because it is heavier than any “pop” band could do. But the sound is clean, the vocals are legible, and the sound is varied enough at least in its rhythmic sense, that it might easily have a following globally. The CD Next Report 2:35 is good rock n roll, but it is just not as heavy as I like personally. I can honestly not call the CD bad, but I do see clearly in my reaction to the CD that what is really up front is my listening pleasure (or displeasure) instead of the actual quality of the effort. I understand that this is somewhat the case always, but for some reason, this CD put it right up in front for me. And with that I exit.
To those for whom this CD was made, it is yours.
But sometimes, especially in the CD’s “Good Night and Good Luck,” Miriam’s voice cracks and breaks like a mellow Layne Staley. Then in tracks such as “1 Bullet,” the riffs pick up and the voice gets manipulated with effects. It is in fact with this track and a few others that the band is barred from pop status and gets to see the metal playground because it is heavier than any “pop” band could do. But the sound is clean, the vocals are legible, and the sound is varied enough at least in its rhythmic sense, that it might easily have a following globally. The CD Next Report 2:35 is good rock n roll, but it is just not as heavy as I like personally. I can honestly not call the CD bad, but I do see clearly in my reaction to the CD that what is really up front is my listening pleasure (or displeasure) instead of the actual quality of the effort. I understand that this is somewhat the case always, but for some reason, this CD put it right up in front for me. And with that I exit.
To those for whom this CD was made, it is yours.
Self released
Reviewer: Jesse
Feb 26, 2009
Feb 26, 2009
Next review:
The Heretic - Chemistry For The Soul
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