CRY HAVOC
I admit that I did something you should never do when listening to new music. Based on the PR company blurb and overall look of the band and booklet I prejudged what the band would sound like. A silly mistake, and although the four songs contained within Cry Havoc’s EP ‘New Life’ are nothing revolutionary they are much better than I was expecting. UK based Cry Havoc have been around since 2009 and, in that time, have apparently created quite a stir, supporting such diverse acts as The Defiled, Firewind, Revoker, Warrior Soul, Jettblack, Voodoo Six, Malefice and Romeo Must Die. They also played a well received set at Hammerfest III. They play modern metal in the vein of Bullet For My Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold but there is a strong undercurrent of Pantera and 1980s thrash too, which is what makes them enjoyable for me to listen to. What there isn’t though is any Guns N’ Roses or Skid Row (I’m a little bit confused as to why the press release mentions these two bands). All the songs power along at a fairly rapid pace and are pretty catchy affairs with the drumming of Eliott Lipscombe being the big standout for me. ‘New Life’ is very well produced by Martyn ‘Ginge’ Ford and Matthew Bond who have a pretty good CV which includes Slipknot, Skindred, Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine, none of the songs (or the EP for that matter) outstay their welcome and, overall, this is a pretty good debut.
I do, of course, have a couple of gripes. Firstly, the vocals of Gav Bolt are a little generic and ‘harsh’ in places; I would have preferred a touch more singing and less metalcore screeching. Secondly, the lyrics and swearing are pretty juvenile; for instance, opening track ‘Losing Everything’ could definitely do with losing a few ‘fucks’. By all accounts he is a very good frontman live but he comes across as just a tiny bit of a weak link here. Overall, ‘New Life’ is a pretty good listen but the band will have to diversify their tempo and sound a bit to make a worthwhile and engaging full length album. This band obviously has some good backing and there is certainly talent involved, they just need to take that next step to make them stand out from the crowd.
I do, of course, have a couple of gripes. Firstly, the vocals of Gav Bolt are a little generic and ‘harsh’ in places; I would have preferred a touch more singing and less metalcore screeching. Secondly, the lyrics and swearing are pretty juvenile; for instance, opening track ‘Losing Everything’ could definitely do with losing a few ‘fucks’. By all accounts he is a very good frontman live but he comes across as just a tiny bit of a weak link here. Overall, ‘New Life’ is a pretty good listen but the band will have to diversify their tempo and sound a bit to make a worthwhile and engaging full length album. This band obviously has some good backing and there is certainly talent involved, they just need to take that next step to make them stand out from the crowd.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
HVK Records
EP
NEW LIFE
Review by Rick Tilley
RUNNING TIME:
14:02
RELEASE DATE:
15th April 2013
TRACK LISTING
1) Losing Everything
2) Ignition
3) Alone
4) New Life
2) Ignition
3) Alone
4) New Life
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
UK
"...modern metal in the vein of Bullet For My Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold but there is a strong undercurrent of Pantera and 1980s thrash too..."
