ZARK - Tales of the Expected (2015)

Genre - Progressive Rock

Label - Self Released

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Lord Rat

02 - Mask

03 - LV-426

04 - One Eye Open

05 - Hollow Shells

06 - Carnival Of Souls

07 - The Robber

08 - Megaer

 

 

ZARK are a progish retro rock metal band and hail from Evesham Midlands. Their influences include pretty much a who's who of the stoner, doom, proto rock , most 70's rock and prog scene's, such as Black Sabbath, Rush, Tool, Russian Circles, kyuss, King Crimson, Latitudes,  Trouble and so on.
Zark were formed in early 2014 when ex smoke pilot guitar player Sean Bindy Phillips started a little jam with his chums in Simon Spiers (sontaron experiment, baron greenback) and Andy Kelley (baron greenback) to try a little some different to their usual stoner groove doom background. Putting in some progish undertones. Quickly realising that they had something special but they needed extra guitars for harmonies and atmospherics, and also a singer. So Simon introduced Josh Tedd (majin) to the band and we got Stuart Lister (expedestrian) for vocals.
Having already got the songs in place, it was left for vocalist Stuart Lister to come up with the lyrics and vocal melodies, and then put out the debut album.
Tales Of The Unexpected is that debut album, and what a stonking album it is to. Oozing power and confidence, the band wearing their influences on their sleeves but never simply plagiarising them, Zark have become a great, solid, if complex at times, band with a brilliant debut album with which to show case their wears.
Opening with 'Lord Rat', the album is quick to showcase the bands prog rock roots, with its twisting riffs and varied tempo changes, setting the scene for what is to follow perfectly. In fact what does follow is almost a master-class in what was glorious about the seventies prog / stoner rock scenes. tracks such as 'Mask', 'One Eye Open', 'Carnival Of Souls', and 'Hollow Shells', proving the band are a band to be reckoned with!

Zark are great band and with Tales Of The Unexpected they have a great debut, proving that the future of prog rock in the UK is in good hands!

Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 9/10



 Listen to 'Lord Rat' here on the bands soundcloud page
 



Tales Of The Unexpected is available for the bands bandcamp page here

Must Kill Chris - The Bearded Man (2015)

 

Genre - Punk / DIY / Alternative / Rock / Bluesy

Label - Self Released

 

Track listing:

01 - Bruce Campbell

02 - Wild Turkey

03 - Nailgun

04 - There's More To Life Than Money

05 - One-Horse Town

06 - Mexican Stand Off

07 - Lions

08 - Generator In The Desert

09 - Bruce Campbell (Decapitated Version)

Once again a big thanks must go to Kyle Vallis and his awesome new page Unsigned Melodies for giving me a heads up about this brilliantly demented album!
I had heard of Must Kill Chris via a previous pledge campaign for the Eureka Machines but had never actually heard them, and by God I am sure glad of Kyle's reminder as I bloody well love this album! You know every now and again and album comes along that leaves you hungry for more, well this album had me so enthralled that I just had to track down the entire back catalogue (available through the bands band camp page, luckily!).
So just who are Must Kill Chris?
 'Must Kill Chris' is the stage name of Chris Moore from Ipswich Suffolk, started in 2011 while his former band 'Om Nom Bomb' were on hiatus Chris started writing and recording new music on his own and has been doing so ever since. This is a true DIY project in all senses of the word, Chris handles all aspects of the writing and recording process as well as creating all artwork and videos himself.
The Bearded Man is the bands second full length release, and its a blinder.
Don't let the fact that this album is home recorded, as it easily sounds as good as any album that has been released over the last few years, sitting comfortably along side releases that had multi million pound recording budgets!
How does it sound?
Bloody manic, marvellous, awesome!
The album opens with Bruce Campbell, with a slow moody keyboard intro before exploding into an almost industrial punk opus with a scream. A great homage to the actor of Evil Dead fame!
Wild Turkey follows, slowing the tempo and the attitude down with its almost bluesy work out. NailGun is up next, returning to the distorted bass lines and punkish attitude!
There's More To Life Than Money is the next track and what a track it is. Returning to the bluesy feel of Wild Turkey with an almost nursery rhyme / lullaby feel to it. I absolutely love this bloody song! Simplicity at its finest!
One-Horse Town has the task of following, vocally it has a real 90's indie feel to it, a great song about killing Zombies with a shot gun!
Mexican Stand Off is the albums shortest track, filled with western feel meets underground punk attitude that constantly builds into a great track!
Lions follows with it cry of independence. Generator In The Desert has an almost psychedelic feel to it at times, whilst following a similar bluesy / indie / punk direction. Probably my least favourite track on offer!
The album closes with Bruce Campbell (Decapitated version), another version of the albums opening track minus the intro and straight into the distorted screams. A great album!

Support music at grass roots level!

Rating - 10/10

 

Band Links:

Must Kill Chris @ Unsigned Melodies

Must Kill Chris on Bandcamp

 

 

 

Rank Berry - Rank Berry EP (2014)

Genre - Classic Rock

Label - Self Released

 

Track listing:

01 - Down The River

02 - This Disease

03 - Good Times

Ok so I cant believe that I missed this one! Well thanks to , Kyle Vallis and his awesome Unsigned Melodies  web site, which showcases unsigned independent bands from around the UK (and rest of the world) I get a second chance to hear these guys.
Rank Berry are a UK (Scotish to be precise), classic hard rock band. Rank Berry, as Kyle very eloquently puts it, sound like "Black Crowes and Creedence Clearwater Revival partying with Guns and Roses and the Wildhearts. Classic rock with an authentic attitude...", and to be honest that's the most fitting description that I can think of.
Classic Rock is running through the veins of each of the three songs here, just imagine a present day equivalent to the Black Crowes, Dogs D'Amour and Bad Company.
The songs are beautifully written, and performed to perfection, with just enough of a raw edge as to stop them feeling forced. These guys obviously love what they do, and they do it very, very well!
the only fault with this EP is that it only contains three songs, damn I can't wait for the album!

Together with the likes of Cage The Gods, Rank Berry are leading the UK Classic Rock revival!

Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10