BROCK BRIEN
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
According to his website, Brock Brien plays "aggressive metal with a subtle country undertone." Frankly, of the four songs on this demo, none are really "aggressive" and I don't hear any country undertones anywhere.
Fortunately, finding the words to describe his sound may be Brock Brien's only weakness. The four songs on this demo are strong, crunchy rockers with tight, biting guitars and tempos that some may find little slow at times but that never cease to ram forward. Think of Brock's music as the main engine of a monster locomotive - its got the power to blast through anything in its path and there's in the world that can stop it.
The only thing missing here is a little attitude. Unfortunately, on this recording, Brock comes across as being a little tired. There's not much passion here, no charisma ... and not enough energy. It's there in the lyrics, but it lacks in the performance. A little of that kind of personality would go a long way with Brock's sound and I'll bet that - in a live setting - that energy is there.
For more information, check out http://www.brockbrien.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2003 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 18 Nov 2024 12:18:22 -0500.
