Northern Irish rockers Red Eye Pariah formed in April 2021, during the pandemic lockdown and amid an unsure world. Once things had settled, however, they wasted no time in building a reputation. Within a couple of years, they’d found a solid grass roots audience, and also gained praise and air time from various radio outlets, including BBC Radio Ulster and the popular alternative broadcaster Radio X (formerly Xfm). On the live circuit, they’ve supported artists as diverse as actor Michael C. Hall and the now legendary disco infused alternative rock band Electric Six.The 2022 EP ‘Koala Tea’ introduced even more people to the rocky Red Eye sound, but their second release, ‘Tequila King’, is an improvement in many respects.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
ALL I KNOW – Stiletto Nightmare EP
Back in 2008, Belgian rockers All I Know released their debut album ‘Vanity Kills’ via the less than imaginatively titled Melodic Rock Records. The record celebrated 80s sounds with aplomb. On tracks like ‘Turn Back Time’ and ‘I Wanna Rock You’, the band contrasted huge AOR harmonies with chunky guitars, but it was when leaning towards an even more commercial (but still retro) sound the material really came into its own. ‘Rain’, in particular sounded like a pitch perfect tribute to classic White Lion coupled with a more anthemic chorus hook, and ‘All Night Long’ served up bright sounding rock, with the accent firmly on the cheese. Years on, the best bits of the record sound like they inspired fellow Euro rockers like Cruzh and Stardust.
BLUE HERON – Everything Fades
Blue Heron’s debut release, the 2022 double single ‘Black Blood of The Earth’/‘Everything Fades’ introduced a band who really didn’t skimp when it came to a heavy riff. Their sound, a hearty mix of classic doom and sludge, created a monstrous noise; an intensity that made the tracks instant genre classics, despite vocalist Jadd Schickler’s “gargling with concrete” styled approach occasionally making the Blue Heron sound rather more marginal than some of their peers. A swiftly delivered full length release (‘Ephemeral’) really capitalised on their heavy abilities, but also showed off a band who were also capable of a hefty, bluesy swagger, bringing more of a desert rock/stoner quality. Between these bleak moods, Blue Heron appeared to have the full spectrum of heavier stoner vibes covered…and with aplomb.
HIKE THE PEAK – Ether EP
Hike The Peak is a punk project helmed by Sheffield based musician Lee Byatt. In his own words, the band was launched “as a result of a mental health crisis during lockdown”, with Lee, wisely, realising he could use his musical talent and a revolving crew of friends to deliver a positive message. Following on from a selection of digital tracks – subsequently compiled as the ‘Only The True Fly Free’ album – this release couples another two absolute bangers in the skate punk mould, sharing a sound that’s guaranteed to take some listeners straight back to the late 90s.
KEELEY – Beautiful Mysterious
Keeley’s first full length album ‘Floating Above Everything Else’ was a game changer for the cult dream pop/shoegaze band. It showed how Keeley Moss and her assembled musicians could sustain a great sound far beyond their previous EP format, but also weave a compelling narrative. With a suite of songs largely devoted to the murder of traveller Inga Maria Hauser it blended great music with a thoughtful lyrical construct. It was clear from the beginning of their journey that Keeley were a cut above any similar bands, but, with its truly absorbing style, this album more than proved it. The recycling of the earlier ‘The Glitter & The Glue’ single certainly didn’t hurt either, since in terms of all round accessibility and catchiness, it’s one of Keeley’s strongest numbers.