... LOWBURN "Soaring High" (EP review)

"Showing the appreciation and gratidude to such bands as Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, ZZ Top, Kyuss, Acid King, Sleep, Monster Magnet and Cathedral these four guys are delivering the Rock as it's supposed to be!"

That's the unequivoqual description, LOWBURN give from their music and if that doesn't sound original at all, it still catches attention and even more if we consider too that the band is Finnish (often a guarantee of quality) and is wholly comprised of ex-members from the respected Epic Power Metal band Battlelore.

Those references are certainly accurate (mainly Kyuss and an early Monster Magnet under steroids but I wonder what could remind Cathedral though) but I think that their approach is far more straight, rough and Metal infused than what all those names suggest... This up-tempo, thick approach could have seen Alabama Thunderpussy added on this list too (with some more Metal tones in place of most of the southern ones) !

The sheer weight of the riffs  from 'Soaring High', 'Running on Fumes' and 'Moonful Stars' make those songs so thundering that they really don't need to be played at full volume to test the strength of your speakers ! This is solid and one can easily imagine a furious mayhem around when played on stage, but even if it's not falling to boring -thanx to the EP length-format, definitely this lacks of variety and needs more textures...

Exactly what the best song of this 4 tracks affair brings in fact ! 'Power it Holds' is far more slow and soaring than the rest, not especially original though, but the hazy riffage brings some more infectiousness to their sound; harmony and melodies, psyche soloing give another perspective of LOWBURN, I wouldn't say that this is the only way they should follow but they would gain in depth and emotional impact if finding a better balance between this and rough speedy tempos...

Their experience and affirmed musicianship are palpable, 'Power it Holds' brings serious hopes and this is  an EP that is still recommended to give an ear on, but in my opinion a full-length will need more refinement . To be continued...

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