We Are The Ocean - Live Set Review

We Are The Ocean

Live at the 02 Academy - Sheffield

Set Review.

We went down to Sheffield to catch up with one of our favourite bands in the music scene, We Are The Ocean. We had a quick interview with bassist Jack Spence before they took to the stage at a fairly full academy room.

Speaking before the show Jack mentioned how the band had settled down into their new identity as a four piece and that they have had some shows to try the new live set-up out on, with that in mind we waited eagerly to see what the band had in-store for us.
Kicking their set off with Machine a track from their new album Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow the band instantly won every member of the crowd over and from there on in it was a solid performance from both the band and the crowd, it was loud, it was full of energy and participation, it was a great intimate gig. 

The band didn’t do what I expected which was to play mainly newer songs from Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow instead they opted to play some old songs, and I mean really old songs! Including Lucky Ones, which was one of the tracks that began the transition of the band becoming less hard-core. They played some tracks from Go Now And Live (last album that featured former front man Dan Brown) with Liam taking on most of the vocal duties accompanied by Alfie taking on the back up vocalist role.

The band really did show that they have settled in perfectly to their new four piece persona with some very crafty re-writing of old songs to make them work for their current sound. Another surprise was the fact that Nothing Good Has Happened Yet is no longer the encore song, it was still played to some extent (the acoustic version played by the full band, which basically just includes the clean vocals) but in its place the band have decided that it is time for a new song to be there, a song that has probably boosted their fan base since having the video aired, The Waiting Room. 

All in all I can not find a single complaint about the night, the set was perfect in my opinion, the band sounded better than I ever could have imagined and the crowd seemed to love it, a great night brought to a close by an incredibly talented band.

-Adam. 

Pierce The Veil - Live Review

Australian rock band The Getaway Plan dance on to the stage and soon the sounds of rock starts pulling in crowds from the outside bar and merch stalls. Tonights gig has officially begun and there is undeniably a buzz of excitement in the air for that of the headliners performance later on. Although overall The Getaway Plan fail to pull in an enthusiastic reaction from that of the audience, the group do manage to capture some attention with their lively stage presence, especially with the dance moves of that of the front man. A good effort from the lads for the first night of the tour.

Texas teenagers Crown The Empire bounce onto the stage with insane amounts of energy and deliver a performance that proves not only to fans, but to themselves, that they truly are ready to conquer stages in their first ever overseas tour. Dressed finely, the boys are soon dripping in sweat as they power through their set list and please not only the ears of fans but that of new listeners. Walls of death and circle pits open up continuously, with the majority of the audience willing to obey the demands of the vocalists. Bands these days often stick to one clean vocalist and one screamer, however Crown The Empire pleasantly have both vocalists as screamers and manage to pull it off exceptionally well. The youngsters bring with them a stage presence that previous performers The Getaway Plan failed to bring, and that of headliners Pierce The Veil only almost met. Although the group battle through some slight sound technicalities they did not let this hinder their performance and continued to deliver a mesmerizing performance till the end. 

The jokingly self-proclaimed “mexicore” headliners Pierce The Veil (deriving the term from their Mexican nationality and style of music) bring to the stage a performance that although most certainly pleases fans, leave those who are new listeners not entirely won over by tonight’s performance. Touring with their recently released album Collide With The Sky, the audience react more favourably to the playing of old material, such as that of Caraphernelia. Met with disappointed rumours and anticipation amongst the audience that Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens frontman) would appear on stage, King For A Day rounds off the set perfectly with fans screaming the chorus back to the band. 

Over all the three bands delivered an enjoyable and fantastic show, however Crown The Empire definitely stole the show from that of the headliners and I have a strong feeling that the next time they return to the UK there will definitely be a lot of hype about them. Keep your eyes peeled for them!

-Oliver 

The Halstead Clan - Debut 6 Track Ep

Bradford Folk-Pop group The Halstead Clan have sent over their debut 6 track EP to be reviewed.

Kicking off with a blissfully elegant track titled ‘Tonight’ the band give a very warm welcome to listening ears with an easing tempo and beautifully soothing vocals accompanied by soft instrumental.
The rest of the EP follows suit in perfect harmony, each track holding a very fragile and somewhat relaxing vibe to them, the songs are written with such gorgeousness lyrically and instrumentally.

Never have I been shown such a highly promising acoustic/folk band. These guys have definitely got their own style, their own vibe and their own ideas all interchanging and producing perfectly, an absolutely belting EP and if it is a glimpse of what is to come then it is safe to say they should be very well known soon enough.

Absolutely incredible would be an understatement.

EP track listing:
Tonight
When The Wind Changes
Dreams
Always The Same
You And No One Else
Dance Around The Fire

Final Riff Rating: R R R R *Beautiful*

You can check out some of the bands work on their Soundcloud page here: www.soundcloud.com/thehalsteadclan
-Adam

Reverbed - Keyholes & Whispers EP

ReVerbed - Keyholes & Whispers EP

 

We have been sent a copy of ReVerbed's new EP Keyholes & Whispers, after hearing their first album last year 'Lies You Can Believe' we had very high hopes for the guys and couldn't wait to hear more from them.

The EP delivers exactly what we was expecting in every way, each time a band brings out a new release there is a constant battle for them to improve and better themselves and ReVerbed have managed this perfectly by adding a slightly more darker edge to their sound which further separates them from the rest of the generic bands that are going nowhere.

The EP is three tracks long, or short if you are a glass half full kind of person. New single 49 is featured on the EP and for anyone that has already checked out the video can get a sense of what the EP sounds like.

All in all the band have stepped up and have paved a way to write a new album with this dark melodic rock feel, hopefully we will hear more shortly, but in the mean time grab the EP and get ready. If you haven't seen the video for 49 then what are you waiting for, COME ON! check it out here : Official 49 Video

Final Riff Rating: R R R *Keep your eyes on these guys!*

Adam

Kurby - Teeth & Bones

Kurby - Teeth and Bones

A recent team up with American media outlet Accendo Media has already began to pay off with the first single sent over by them from pop-rockers Kurby.

The track titled ’Teeth and Bones’ is full of everything that a great song is made of, punchy in your face catchy as hell lyrics sang with conviction. A truly world class single that is glowing with promise for the band.

The track is already planted into my head after a few plays, its just one of those great unknown wonders of the world music scene. The band seem to have taken really strong influence from Biffy Clyro and Twin Atlantic and placed their own sound in the mix to create something amazing and highly impressive, a track you can very easily lose yourself in and before you know it you have had it on repeat for the past half hour or so!

A fantastic band with a highly promising future, I can not wait to hear more from them!

Final Riff Rating: R R R R R *Fucking Brilliant!*

Adam

 

 

The track is already planted into my head after a few plays, its just one of those great unknown wonders of the world music scene.

 

The track titled ’Teeth and Bones’ is full of everything that a great song is made of, punchy in your face catchy as hell lyrics sang with conviction. A truly world class single that is glowing with promise for the band,

The track is already planted into my head after a few plays, its just one of those great unknown wonders of the world music scene.

 

The band seem to have taken really strong influence from Biffy Clyro and Twin Atlantic and placed their own sound in the mix to create something amazing and highly impressive, a track you can very easily lose yourself in and before you know it you have had it on repeat for the past half hour or so!

 

A fantastic band with a highly promising future, I can not wait to hear more from them!

 

Final Riff Rating: R R R R R *Fucking Brilliant!*

 

Adam

 

 

The

track titled ’Teeth and Bones’ is full of everything that a great song is made of, punchy in your face catchy as hell lyrics sang with conviction. A truly world class single that is glowing with promise for the band,

The track is already planted into my head after a few plays, its just one of those great unknown wonders of the world music scene.

 

The band seem to have taken really strong influence from Biffy Clyro and Twin Atlantic and placed their own sound in the mix to create something amazing and highly impressive, a track you can very easily lose yourself in and before you know it you have had it on repeat for the past half hour or so!

 

A fantastic band with a highly promising future, I can not wait to hear more from them!

 

Final Riff Rating: R R R R R *Fucking Brilliant!*

 

Adam

Decode - Sabateur

Decode - Saboteur

 

Sheffield hard hitting rockers Decode are back with a vengeance with skull shattering new single 'Saboteur'. The boys have been developing over the past year or so now and bring out the best of the British music scene. The band can be compared to Fightstar in their heyday and have every chance of becoming just as successful, the boys have an album due out later this year and if the past few singles are anything to go by then you will need it in your collection! a breath taking band full of promise with a genuine unprocessed sound.

Final Riff Rating: R R R R R *Ones to watch*

Adam

The Fifth Horseman - The Awakened

The Fifth Horseman - The Awakened

Surrey death-core boys The Fifth Horseman are back with a bang with their brand new single The Awakened, a track that is packed with more metal than a scrap yard, constantly bombarded with meaty riffs and deep throat vocals, the boys have produced one of the heaviest tracks I have heard this year, so for all of those out there that like it loud I strongly recommend you check this out!

A promising glimpse into what's to come from the boys in the future!

Final Riff Rating: R R R

Adam

One Night Stand With Fate - The Breath, The Sickness

One Night Stand With Fate - The Breath, The Sickness

 

My boys are back! Yorkshire's very best One Night Stand With Fate have been away working hard on a brand new EP with a new and improved line-up helping to deliver a smoother and more professional sound, The Breath, The Sickness is a glimpse of what's to come from the soon to be released EP titled 'It's A Beautiful Day To Fall Apart' the band have finally perfected their sound and are now fully capable of taking the UK music scene by storm, strong throat vocals and perfect clean vocals blended with extremely well written music and lyrics give One Night Stand With Fate a real edge in the scene and it wouldn't surprise me if they were signed up to a label in the coming months, also included in the EP are some old tracks that have been re-written and completely re-done, it's safe to say that these boys are going somewhere and everyone here at Riff are amazed and proud at what they have grown into! Keep your eyes and ears out, spread the word, ONSWF are coming are are going to be hitting hard!

www.facebook.com/onenightstandwithfate

Final Riff Rating: R R R R R *Genius work, Ones to watch*

Adam

Matt & Scott Acoustics - If I Never Met You

Matt & Scott Acoustics - If I Never Met You

The boys from Hey! I'm A Moviestar have decided to put together a new, acoustic project, Matt Merry and Scott Birrell team up beautifully as always to bring us a fantastic new single titled 'If I Never Met You' a soft paced track that openly demonstrates the talent held by these two lads from Bracknell. If you are familiar with the band Hey! I'm A Moviestar's work, more recently their acoustic album then you can kind of imagine what this track is going to be like, and if you enjoy acoustic music I highly recommend checking the guys out!

A great little track to add to your acoustic collection!

Riff Rating: R R R *Ones To Watch*

-Adam

The Pigeon Detectives - Lost

The Pigeon Detectives - Lost

We have been sent the new single Lost by Indie Rock heroes The Pigeon Detectives which is taken from their third album Up, Guards And At ‘Em! here is what we make of it.

Opening with a great pace and steady rise of energy The Pigeon Detectives have quite possibly made one of their greatest singles to date with Lost, and if it is a glimpse of things to come in the new album them I am thoroughly looking forward to hearing more!

The guys head out on tour next month and we should be out to speak to them a bit more about the album and other things, in the mean time check out Lost and be prepared for what promises to be a brilliant album.

Riff Final Review: RRR

Adam

Cloud Control - Gold Canary

Cloud Control - Gold Canary

Taken from their debut album that we were sent Gold Canary has been one of the standout tracks and released as a single.

Opening with a slow paced drum beat met with soothing lead vocals and deep backing vocals all contrasting to give that unique sound and feel that Cloud Control have managed to create within their music, Gold Canary is a slow paced easy listening track that can possibly be compared to the likes of The Gaslight Anthem’s earlier work, more so in the vocal work than the instrumental but the comparison is definitely noticeable.

A great song to release and perfect for showcasing just what Cloud Control are all about.

Riff Final Rating: RRR

Adam

Blink 182 - Up All Night

Blink-182 - Up All Night

            Californian pop punk legends released their first single in around 6 years. Blink 182, who earlier this year rearranged their 2011 summer tour for next summer released their latest song, up all night, on Friday. This is the first release off the upcoming album ‘Neighborhoods,’ due for release at the end of September.

The song, in my opinion, lyrically, is good, but the rest, I don’t like it at all. Structurally its not the best. Instrumentation isn’t the best, and its not blink’s usual fast paced song which everyone was expecting. I personally think its sounds like blink side project boxcar racer, and Tom’s side project Angels and Airwaves. I don’t personally like the song, I think at the moment it is terrible, but it is a potential grower.

If the single is anything to go by, the album will be terrible. But I read, this song was written by Tom, hence the strong AVA sound. The rest of the album is rumored to be written by Mark, which I hopefully think, judging by his side project +44, is going to be very Blink sounding.

The track is available on iTunes

Riff Final Rating – R R r (2.5)

Tiffy

I Am: Your Hero - Talk Scream & Aftermath Is Secondary

I Am: Your Hero - Talk Scream & Aftermath Is Secondary

We have been sent a couple of I AM: YOUR HERO's songs to check out, below are reviews of the singles 'Talk/Scream' and 'Aftermath Is Secondary' check it out!

Talk/Scream -

Starting off with a gentle soothing vocal piece before slowly erupting into a powerful steady beat masterpiece Talk/Scream really shows some outstanding talent coming from the band both lyrically and musically. Pushing through the music scene I can see huge things over the horizon for these guys. The track is finished beautifully with a great piece of piano work, what more could you possibly want?!

Aftermath Is Secondary -

Starting on a real energetic note with more beautiful vocal work, a real expression on how well vocalist Jacko can get his notes and sounds across a microphone. Again demonstrating brilliant lyrical work too.

The ability to write perfect flowing songs is something most bands struggle to master, I AM:YOUR HERO seem to have hit the nail on the head and split the wood underneath it, utter brilliant band and most definitely worth your time to check out.

Riff Final Rating : R R R R

Adam

Lets Wrestle - In Dreams Part II

Let's Wrestle - In Dreams Part II

London trio Let's Wrestle released In Dreams Part II from their second album Nursing Home, here is what we think of it.

Opening with a great vibe to the track Let's Wrestle have produced a sharp sounding hard hitting energetic and pulsating track that refuses to stop playing in your mind. It isn't a very long track but it makes for easy listening and tempts you to click the reply button!

It sounds like the band have established their own sound and if it is anything to go by for the album I am certain it is worth checking out.

You can follow the band via Facebook here : Let's Wrestle

Riff Final Rating : R R R *Ones to watch*

Frank Turner - Peggy Sang The Blues

Frank Turner - Peggy Sang The Blues

National treasure Frank Turner releases his fourth album this June, before hand he has released the new single Peggy Sang The Blues. The single is very uplifting and backed with extremely powerful vocals and cleverly written lyrics. Peggy Sang The Blues will grab all Turner fans and leave them excited and wanting the album to be released immediately.

After an incredibly successful year Frank Turner has announced his now completely sold out tour to build up the hype on the album 'England Keep My Bones' it really demonstrates just how dominating Frank is in the Acoustic Folk genre and hopefully we will be able to catch up with him at some point to speak to him.

An incredible release and a real promising glimpse into what the album holds for fans.

Riff Final Rating : R R R R

Adam

The Prospect - Fairytale

The Prospect - Fairytale

As I sit down to listen to The Prospects new single “Fairytale” the first thing that grabs me is the grunginess of the guitar riff as we await the arrival of the vocals, and as much as I love the grunge sound I feel the track could benefit from a little clarity to the guitars to give it the ability to really stand out and grab people’s attention however the addition of the slightly “whiney” & “lazy” vocal style, the track really begins to hold my attention.

I fell in love with the bands hook of “she’s a one trip pony on a fairytale, she’s going nowhere, she’s going nowhere” and their I don’t give a **** attitude, I did however find the track a little too repetitive for my liking and feel that with a little clarity and something thrown in to mix things up this band will really grab people’s attention. By the end of the track I do find myself left wanting more from a band that I can only describe as a the love child of The Towers Of London & UK Subs, watch this space...

The track is available to download from ITunes

Final Riff Rating: R R R

Hey! I'm A MovieStar - Better Than You Know

Hey! I'm A MovieStar - Better Than You Know Single

Hey! I'm A MovieStar are back with a shiny new single titled Better Than You Know, also on the single release is the track The Midnight Rendezvous which we reviewed earlier on. The band have since then re recorded it and sounds better than ever! the vocal's are perfect and so clear and there are even some killer effects thrown in there along with great gang vocals towards the end, the guys are really evolving into something huge and we are happy to be behind them every step of the way.

Bracknell sure does know how to produce its musicians that's for sure, Better Than You Know has shown the band are consistent in writing great music, the last time we heard their stuff was from the EP we reviewed and now with Better Than You Know on my play list too you can not go wrong with these guys.

Better Than You Know starts off with a pacey drum beat before picking up into a great riff accompanied by flawless vocal work throughout, the lads have really raised the bar this time, the track is pacey and energetic and a great twist on modern day rock. If this is a glimpse of what's to come from Hey! I'm A MovieStar then personally I can not wait for the next single to be released.

Check the guys out on facebook here : Hey! I'm A MovieStar

Final Riff Rating : R R R R R *Ones To Watch*

Adam

Halloe Away - My Lies

Halloe Away - My Lies

Halloe Away are a 4 piece band from York.

Words can not describe how gob smacked I was when I heard this track! It is the perfect chill out song and is beautifully written and the vocals are perfectly harmonised.

The music is brilliantly written and recorded and shows true originality and talent amongst the band.

The song starts off fairly easy going and picks up perfectly into a great pace and once you begin to listen to it you will not want to stop! It is just so perfect in every sense of the word and will leave you wanting more from this very promising band. I would recommend showing them some support and listening to their music , you can do so via Facebook here : Facebook

Final Riff Rating : R R R R R *Ones To Watch*

Generic Volume - Gain Control

Generic Volume - Gain Control

Generic Volume are a three piece Hard rock/Electronic band from Wrexham.

If you can see past the recording quality and look into the potential of the track you can see that these guys have what it takes to write up some real great music. The track starts off with a great opening riff and kicks off into great track. The lads are working on some better recordings and from what I have heard from them I can't wait to see what else they have to offer. A lot of bands have very rough demo's and EP's and end up making amazing albums so keep an eye on these lads, they are showing that more and more bands in the UK are giving it their all to try push their name out there.

Generic Volume have what it takes to get out there and tackle the music industry and all the bands working in it. So go give the lads a chance listen to their music and stay tuned for better things to come!

Their facebook page can be found by clicking here : Generic Volume

Final Riff Rating : R R R

Beyond Betreyal - The Ties That Bind

Beyond Betrayal - The Ties That Bind

Beyond Betrayal are a five piece metal core band from the north west.

The track has been very well recorded and every inch of it sounds perfect, the track opens with an energetic guitar riff and bursts into a work of rock genius that will melt your ears, Vocals are mind blowing and really demonstrates that the band have what it takes to be matching the big names of metal rock music. If metal fans listened to this track they would probably see it as a gateway to stardom for Beyond Betrayal.

As I have mentioned so many times before the UK music scene is really lacking bands like these and to hear something like this coming out of nowhere is brilliant head over to their Myspace to give them a listen to I'm sure you won't be disappointed www.myspace.com/beyondbetrayal09

Riff Final Rating : R R R R

Adam

Hey! I'm A MovieStar - The Midnight Rendevous

Hey! I'm A MovieStar - The Midnight Rendevous

I'm not exactly sure where Bracknell is but where ever it is it is producing some awesome bands that are producing some belting tunes.

The Midnight Rendevous is the newest single from Bracknell trio Hey! I'm A MovieStar and much like fellow Bracknell band Streetfight Silence these guys deliver a very punchy sound with spot on vocals and brilliant instrumental guaranteed to get you singing along.

Streetfight's Russ Merry and brother Matt Merry are amongst the trio with Scott Birrell completing the line up.

The Midnight Rendevous is such a great example of the raw talent out there in the world and here at Riff it is our sole aim to bring this to the view of people, The song really picks up into a hard hitting tune with strong lead vocals and brilliant harmonised backing vocals accompanied by genius guitar instrumental. The lyrics are catchy and after a few listens you will be sat singing along, don't believe me? head over to www.myspace.com/heyimamoviestar

Riff will be working very closely with these guys to bring you the latest from them so keep an eye out for future news!

Riff Final Rating : R R R R R                             

Streeghtfight Silence - Seeing Ghosts

Streetfight Silence - Seeing Ghosts

When I first heard these guys on Lava TV (Sky channel 378) I thought they had a great sound and I couldn't wait to hear some more work from them.

Well they are back! And my word they have hit back hard! New single Seeing Ghosts has just been produced and we are the first to hear it and I can tell you now you are all in for a treat! If you have heard Streetfight's previous single 'Promise I Will Stay' and liked that then you will love Seeing Ghosts it has everything a great song needs, an instantly recognisable tune, kick-ass drumming, Insane vocal work and lyrics that will guarantee a sing a long!

This track is most definitely one to keep an eye out for, I imagine the guys will be releasing it very soon. They are very proud of the track and rightfully so.

If you have not heard of Streetfight Silence then I strongly recommend you check them these guys have what it takes to hit the big time, We also sent off some questions to Chris Penfold from the band check the Interviews tab to see what we asked and what he said!



Riff Final Rating : R R R R R *Riff's One's To Watch*

John Reilly - Deep and Blue

John Reilly - Deep and Blue

Something a little bit different for you guys now.

John Reilly is a singer/song writer from Sheffield, born and bred in Liverpool. He has been part of a few bands and is now embarking on his solo career.

John is very talented with a great voice and a great mind to be able to come up with the lyrics that he has. Granted that this single may not be for all of you, but if you like melodic soft music to chill out to then this really is what you want to be listening to. It is hard to compare John to anybody as he has a very unique sound. If you enjoy listening to acoustic music then I have no doubt you will enjoy John Reilly.

Deep And Blue is the debut single from the Sheffield man and has a lot of promise behind it crossing calm vocals with genius lyrics and a harmonising piano and drum input. If this single is an inside look at to what John can come up with and what the album will sound like then I am very excited to hear it when it is released.

John has recorded his solo album and it is due for release in 2011 so be on the look out for it I know I will be!

If you wish to listen to some of John's other work you can do so by heading to his Myspace page, come on guys give him a chance he is a brilliantly talented musician.

Myspace : www.myspace.com/iamjohnreilly

Final Riff Rating : R R R R R



Adam.

Dreams and Empires - Halfway Home

Dreams & Empires - Halfway Home

Dreams & Empires are a small band that got together in April this year. They have just finished recording their debut EP with Sean Harrison from The Elijah. They are a very young band with an average age of 17!

Halfway Home is the first single from the EP.

Rock music is Britain is most popular with pop-punk bands and scream bands. Dreams & Empires have taken sounds from both genres and mixed them together to give a new sound. They have synthesizer sounds like a pop-punk band would have with great clean vocals mixed in with rough scream vocals and heavy guitar and drumming in parts like a heavy scream rock band have.

For a young band they are extremely talented and most definitely ones to keep an eye on. They can't really be compared to any other band out there at the moment as I think they have discovered their own unique sound, and it is a brilliant sound!

They do have a myspace, but it has nothing on it as they are waiting for the EP to be released, but still add them up and be prepared for their music to hit the high street!

myspace.com/dreamsandempires

Final Riff Rating : R R R R



Adam

Enora - Anchor

Enora - Anchor

I can not think of a single word to perfectly describe this single from Enora it is just perfect!

It is from their brand new album Canis Lupus and if the album is anything like this single then I would very much recommend buying it.

The song starts off really slow and with nothing but vocals accompanied by a great piano piece, but around 2 minutes in it really kicks in with drums added and backing vocals, it sounds amazing.

This past year a lot of bands have been emerging from the UK and some have the talents to make it huge, no doubt about it that Enora will be a massive band! Keep your eyes on them and go check this song out, if you don't like it then you are dead inside!



Check Enora out on myspace here : www.myspace.com/enorauk



Final Riff Rating : R R R R R

We Are The Ocean - Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow

We Are The Ocean - Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow

We Are The Ocean - Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow. - In Depth with Riff.

We have been sent over a copy of one of the most eagerly awaited releases of the year, after the exit of front man Dan Brown from the band it was always expected that the band would carry on as a four piece with Liam Cromby taking over vocal duties.

Previously in the year we caught up with the band and unfortunately Dan was ill during the show (this was before the announcement of his departure) and Alfie filled in on vocals on this occasion which lead to more questions if he would feature on the new album, here is an in depth look into the album.

When you first play the album you are greeted with a calm and gentle introduction titled Stanford Rivers, a nice piano and vocal piece displaying Liam’s incredible vocal talent, but at the same time leading you into a false sense of security, thinking that the rest of the album will be a nice calm and peaceful record but you are hit hard straight after with the second track titled Bleed, the band have already released two tracks from the album, Bleed being the first of two, it kicks off with such an energetic feel and demonstrates that the band have really knuckled down and put new ideas on to the table since Dan’s departure, they have come out sounding stronger and way more powerful than ever before! Liam shows that he isn’t just a calm and soothing clean vocalist and that he can really throw power and aggression out when he needs to.

The third track on the album is titled Young Heart and is calmer and has a slight feel of the previous We Are the Ocean album (Go Now and Live) a lot smoother and more calming than the power house single Bleed but at the same time it demonstrates just how flexible the band are, being capable of thrashing out some immensely powerful vocals and straight after going smoother and calmer but fitting it perfectly to the album, it shows just why the band are regarded as one of the best in the scene at the moment.

Track four is titled Story of a Modern Child and is a lyrical masterpiece, an absolute top class single with an incredible structure, I hate to be the cliché reviewer and say that the band have matured, but they really have in every sense of the word, the band are completely unrecognisable from previous records, a brand new band has emerged from the ashes of the old one and they are ready to take the world by storm, forget everything you think you know about We Are The Ocean, until you hear this album you know absolutely nothing!

Track five is my personal favourite titled Machine and answers my question regarding Alfie Scully, who throws his vocals into the record, which gives you some indication into what the live show will be like, obviously the band cant be jumping around on stage but they will have no problem moving fans with these incredible tracks, they will no doubt have a Canterbury kind of set up, if you have ever seen them live, two guitarists up front leading the way accompanied by bass and drums, I for one can not wait to meet up with the guys and see just what they have in store for the live show. Machine is another brilliantly structured and written track with some of the best gang chants ever! ‘I WILL NEVER BE OWNED BY YOU’ rings through your ears and invigorates you and really brings the album to life.

Track Six is the second single already released titled The Road and again features Alfie on back up vocals, and is consistent with the uplifting and energetic feel of the entire album, for hardcore WATO fans Alfie offers something in his vocals that you may appreciate in this track with a slight sound of Dan Brown about him but that aside they have definitely produced the best album of their career here.

Track Seven is titled Golden Gate and is a lot calmer than the previous tracks and is something to really listen to, just sit there and listen to all the lyrics and piece the song together, it is meaningful and beautifully written and uplifting and really puts the band in a category of their own with their immense amount of talent to write songs that mean something and are enjoyable and highly listenable.

Track Eight is titled Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow, again soothing and powerful with very well structured lyrics and in parts Liam bursts into life with some more aggressive vocal work, the diversity of the band is very clear to be transformed from a post-hardcore band into a rock/blues rock band and to pull it off perfectly really takes some talent.

Track Nine is titled Pass Me By it features Alfie on main vocals and has a very Indie rock feel about it, and sounds slightly like The Cure at the beginning, it is completely different sounding to the rest of the album, perhaps an insight into what kind of sound the band are pushing towards or perhaps just an experimental track, either way it sounds great and again shows diversity and that the band are constantly thinking of news ways to deliver music to their fans.

Track Ten is the final track and is something I have been wanting to hear for years, as a die hard We Are The Ocean fan this is a god send of a track, a Liam Cromby acoustic! Brilliant, a track set out purely to demonstrate the genius that is Liam Cromby, when Dan’s departure was announced I did wonder if Liam would produce some acoustics for fans and this answers that question, hopefully it will be the first of many, beautifully written, perfectly performed I can’t see anyone disagreeing on this one.

All in all the album is an absolute masterpiece, something all music fans should own, it has something for everyone and I think old We Are the Ocean fans will approve, I am a huge fan of the band they have been my inspiration and got me into doing what I do today, Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow is the best piece of work they have produced in their career and I am looking forward to future releases, brilliant work and something you definitely need to get your hands on when it is released on September 17th!

Riff Final Rating: R R R R R *Album of the year!*

-Adam

Reel Big Fish - Candy Coated Fury

Reel Big Fish - Candy Coated Fury

Ska legends Reel Big Fish are back with a vengeance with their 7th studio album ‘Candy Coated Fury’ which features the bands first original material for over 5 years!
The guys have really outdone themselves coming back and showing us exactly what the music scene needs, more depth, more fun, less metal and most definitely more Ska! Candy Coated Fury delivers fast paced, punchy and humorous tracks that everyone can relate to and everyone can thoroughly enjoy. The album as a whole is a masterpiece, and will hopefully be an inspiration to other young musicians to drop the 8 string bass guitars and pick up a trumpet and have some fun with the music they want to produce. Reel Big Fish are leading the way for a music revolution and if you are not onboard then…You are an asshole.

An absolute masterpiece and it is great to see such an massively talented band come back and produce some of the best material of their career.

Riff Final Rating: R R R R R *Fucking brilliant!*

Adam

One Night Stand With Fate

One Night Stand With Fate - It's A Great Day To Fall Apart

Riff boys One Night Stand With Fate are back, and my god are they hitting back hard! A brand new EP has just been recorded and it is bound to put them on the map in the music industry, since undergoing a few line-up changes the band have gone into quiet mode to write and re-write material for this EP, and the work has paid off completely, fans can expect old tracks, but they will not be able to recognise them at all! A complete make over for This Is The Beginning and I Thought That Move Was Prohibidado will leave old fans speechless and the new track The Breath, The Sickness, which the band have released for fans to listen to as a taster is bound to please everyone, on top of that Blood On The Walls has been re-recorded.

The band are looking to take on the UK, and with these tracks as their weapons it will be total annihilation, faster paced and packed with energy and raw power, the live shows will benefit greatly and a band who started out with such a promising future seem to have finally got a hold of their ambitions and are fighting towards them.

Highly impressive work, guaranteed to leave fans old and new speechless, and their critics will be once and for all silenced.

Riff Final Rating: R R R R R *Unbelievable Work*

Adam

Daedalus' Right Eye

Daedalus' Right Eye - Self Titled EP

Bristol Pop/Punk Alternative band Daedalus' Right Eye have been log awaiting for us to get our arses into gear and review their self titled EP, and we do apologize for the lateness, we hate technology!

The EP is 5 tracks long and packed full of brilliant, catchy lyrics and is very well produced and recorded.

Track Listing

1. The Light In Your Window

2. Dream Catcher

3. Let's Pretend

4. Our Faourite Sun

5. Mr. McKeif

I have been listening to this EP for quite some time now, and simply can not get enough of it, most of the brilliant vocal work really draws me in, a lot of people look at Pop/Punk bands and instantly label them generic but Daedalus's Right Eye really deliver something different, mainly relying on vocals and lyrics to draw in a crowd accompanied by brilliant and easy listening music, a really triumphant band and I can see great things coming up for the guys in the very near future!

If you want to check the guys  out, you can head over to their facebook page and show them some love!

Final Riff Rating: R R R R *Utterly Brilliant!.. Ones To Watch*

-Adam