Publicist UK – Original Demo Recordings 7”


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Publicist UK are an intriguing combo which see Dave Witte (Discordance Axis, Municipal Waste drummer) joining forces with Revocation bassist Brett Bamberger and team up with Distant Correspondent’s David Obuchowski and former Fresh Kills mouthpiece Zachary Lipez.

It would be natural to expect pounding rhythms and adrenaline fuelled blasts, especially considering the rhythm section. Only that couldn’t be further from the agenda. Instead gothic post-punk is the order of the day, with the spectre of the late 70s looming largely over the two tracks present here. The sound of the band is decidedly British in its choice of influences, reeking of decaying Chameleons and Fields Of The Nephilim records. “I love it when you talk real politics!” Lipez pines like Andrew Eldritch reciting the works of Fredrik Engels.

Original Demo Recordings (Static Tension) is the kind of effort fans of recent death rock troubadours such as Beastmilk may lap up, although Publicist UK are more retrospective in their style and the reverb and treble heavy production; Spiralling melodies are interwoven amongst the effortless performance of Witte, who provides a solid backbone, largely sitting back to support the song. His pulsing sixteenths accenting every nuance of ‘Slow Dancing To This Bitter Earth’ while Lipez repeats the hypnotic mantra of a chorus over jangling riffs to great effect.

They also use the music as a platform to hit out at faux social rebellion. “Wave a red flag and decorate your handbag” snarls Lipez on the latter number, clearly using it to take a swipe at insincere political campaigners who do much complaining but little to change the systems in which they live.

Since this tempting morsel has been delivered, the group have taken up residence on Relapse Records and are working on a full length. Given the murky depths this release mines, it will be interesting to see if they can progress as strongly as they have started.

7.0/10

Publicist UK on Facebook

ROSS BAKER


Revocation/Municipal Waste form Death Rock side-project PUBLICIST UK and confirm limited edition 7″


Publicist UK, featuring Dave Witte (drums – Municipal Waste), Brett Bamberger (bass – Revocation), David Obuchowski (guitars – Goes Cube) and Zachary Lipez (vocals – Freshkills), have confirmed their debut release of a 7″ limited edition single, Original Demo Recordings.

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The single features the songs ‘Slow Dancing To This Bitter Earth” and “Never Gone To School”, and will be released by Static Tension Recordings on 17 February 2015.

Most surprisingly, considering the day jobs of some of the members, there is nary a hint of distortion in the sound, with Publicist UK plying a Death Rock trade with strong Goth and Indie influences.

The band had never actually met prior to forming, nor had, apparently, discussed direction before writing the songs which will make up their as yet untitled debut album, released on Relapse in the Spring of 2015, with further details being announced in the new year.

 

 

Steve Tovey


Kaine – The Waystone


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There’s a lot to be said for taking the proverbial bull by the horns, as British quartet Kaine have done by self-releasing their debut The Waystone after being dissatisfied with the types of deal they were being offered. While it is easy to say they are being naïve, it shows a passion and a belief in their product that would serve more established bands well to tap into. However, are the labels, who are struggling to cover their own costs let alone spunk biscuits over bands that aren’t a guarantee, right to hold back and hedge their bets on Kaine?

Opener ‘Iron Lady’ suggests the band are right to have that self-belief; a raucous slice of NWOBHM magic that could well be a stalking partner of ‘Prowler’. But even on such a strong opener, flaws are exposed as Rage Sadler‘s vocals are simply not strong enough to lead a professional band. While weaker vocals were endearing 30 years ago, the Manilla Road approach no longer flies and having such a key part of a band not up to the standard required seriously undermines the talent and technique on display in all other areas. Sadler and guitaring counter-part Anthony Murch can clearly play, while Dan Mailer’s only bass-flaw is his inability to know when less is more, all over (or under) most tracks like the most contagious of rashes with his Steve Harris runs and fills.

The rest of the album showcases a post-Brave New World (EMI) Iron Maiden meets Rush bent, with Kaine also working in a concoction of traditional British metal and prog, with some pleasing sections calling to mind Fates Warning.

However, here is the crux, sometimes the labels don’t come a-calling because a band isn’t good enough, or just isn’t ready yet. ‘Iron Lady’ shows that the potential genuinely is there, and there really could be an impressive album further down the line, but too often the song-writing, despite several of the parts being impressive, is woolly or meandering, with choruses falling flat compared to their peers. The band needs to work on either being snappier, making parts more memorable and each song more distinctive, or on studying and understanding the more progressive elements they showcase, and how to use them to their advantage, to make them a valid USP in a way that sets them apart.

5.0/10

Kaine on Facebook

STEVE TOVEY