Monday, January 2, 2012

enjoy the Power of the Riff with GRIFTER

It's been a while since Ollie Stygall (guit/vocals)  proposed me a promo of the new GRIFTER album but - no need to invoke bullshit- I totally forgot it and what a fucker I was... cause I now have to reckon that this was a real mistake, so, sincerely a big THANX to you Ollie for contacting again last week and giving me another chance, it would have been a real shame to miss this album any longer !
GRIFTER is NOT just another power rock trio like there's thousands in the world, this english band has something that at least 95% of the others don't have : an outstanding ability to make you escape in a great buzzy world of RIFFs... In this aspect, they remind the almighty CLUTCH but the main influences come obviously from 70's heavy rock legends like BLACK SABBATH and LED ZEPPELIN.
GRIFTER sounds definitely vintage and insists willingly on catchiness and authenticity rather than complexing things with progressive structures or endless solos, on this point they could also remind  slightly the loudness and heaviness of KYUSS... There's lots of soul puted in their music and the riffs are often amazing. Ollie's vocals are excellent too, I don't know if there's any good singer around this part of the globe that is seriously referenced as the equivalent of a  "European Neill Fallon", but I would propose him in the first place for sure !!!
Songs like "preacher and the devil", "asshole parade", "bucktooth woman" (a pure rock'n roll masterpiece)or "piss and gas" are sweating highlights, but the guys can slow it down too, like on the wonderful "gone blues", inducing even more  assertive Southern Bluesy touches.
 I can't see any weak song here, this is extremely cohesive and suffers from no possible contestation, I mean by this that GRIFTER is in my opinion the (too rare) kind of band which can appeal to a very large part of HEAVY music fans by its simplicity, catchiness and talent just simply !!!
Existing for about 10 years, the band had previously released demos and eps, they also gave many many shows with various acts from UNDERSMILE to MY SLEEPING KARMA, all that certainly helped to impose themselves with such maturity and tightness now; and all in all such a solid debut album is everything except a surprise... just like the great news of touring with ORANGE GOBLIN this next spring !

http://ripple-music.com/ripple/
http://grifter.bigcartel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GRIFTERROCK

No comments:

Post a Comment