James Steingart
Shortcut to Last, Two Minutes in Heaven EP
Please welcome the feelgood band of the summer, Shortcut To Last. This power punk quartet from Belle River is feeding off of a lot of momentum right now, having just completed their second EP titled Two Minutes In Heaven. Just like their previous disc I Know You’re Not One For Serious Situations, it was recorded and produced by Glenn Fricker at Spectre Sound Recording Studios.
The four-piece consists of lead vocalist and bassist Matt Diamante, rhythm guitarist Joel Benetau, lead guitarist Teron Matton and drummer John McBean. Teron and John joined right after the recording of the new EP and they, along with their bandmates are gearing for a chance to play at this year’s Warped Tour in Mississauga, Ontario. They entered the annual Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands contest and are doing quite well in the voting and have got extended play to the next round.
While the votes are crucial, musicianship and songwriting also play a factor in the contest which should not be an issue, given their pop smarts and killer hooks. It’s no mistake that two tracks from their debut EP, the party-punk and youthful tinge of “Undone” and “It’s Never Enough” amassed a grand tally of almost 40,000 views on Youtube. I was lucky to get a sneak peak of Two Minutes In Heaven from the guys themselves and blared it in my own little underground garage.
No hurry getting things started here, the loudfastrules apply on this just over ‘two minutes in heaven’ title track. The presence of infectious melodies, memorable singalong choruses, lead guitar firepower and hard-hitting, powerhouse drumming are all things Shortcut To Last have trademarked themselves with and it’s on display here and on the following five tracks. Next up, “Friend Fatale” is more of the same, another dose of high octane energy.
Things slow down a little bit on the dreamy, melodic swing of “I Wish.” A song to turn up on a lazy summer day, it’s also one of those “lighters in the air” tunes with its sultry sway. The pace then picks up again with “Bubbles Galore,” guitars, bass ‘n drum all firing together and exploding into one solid state of rock.
“Up All Night” is a straight-ahead, melodic pop-punker and seems to touch on matters of the pursuit of a dream, be it one of music or love. Lyrics like “you’re no man on the moon/you’ll never be a star, dreams are for sleeping” are a universal sentiment and strikes a power chord with anyone wanting to live out their fantasies. The band’s genuine nature is best shown here as well as the closing “Stop.” This final cut from Two Minutes In Heaven could be cited as an anthem for a generation. It’s loud, exciting and catchy to the nines in that Sum 41 kinda way. There’s no reason the guys in Shortcut To Last can’t ride that same wave of success.
Purchase Two Minutes In Heaven at the band’s cd release party July 1st @ The Blind Dog and come see what I’m raving about. Be sure to help out these hard working musicians and vote for them to play this summer’s Warped Tour. For more information, visit www.shortcuttolast.com They are also on itunes.
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June 3, 2011 | Categories: CD Review | Tags: Shortcut To Last | 4 Comments »
James Steingart
The Heat Seeking Moisture Missiles, The Coach & Horses,
Last and first time that I witnessed their ‘nuclear assault’ was at FunnelFest in December at the same venue. I had to check this shit out again and I did. For about 45 minutes, I along with all the others in attendance were thrust back into 1986, albeit some of them for the first time. Everything from stonewash jean jackets and Sixx-spiked hair (I’m sure that’s his real hair) to bass players with Cliff Burton hair and ‘Anastasia’ were all on hand.
Can’t say I was ‘caught in a mosh’ but I did experience extreme conditions of ‘Whiplash,’ haha. The latter was one of a feew covers they mastered along with the sleazy hardcore ‘Bite Me You Scum’ from G.G. Allin which they played for Scott Funnel since he’s been known to jam that one out on stage with the boys.
They also boasted some killer originals, notably the sickly ‘Human Centipede,’ furthering their old-school punk appeal. Someone on hand blabbered out “I wanna go home and watch Hardcore Logo!” That declaration itself summed up the feeling you get after seeing T.H.S.M.M.
If you think you’d dig these guys and think it would be a totally radical experience, check them out May 14 @ the Coach. They’re also working on an EP right now which will hopefully be available soon. Well that’s all I got, think I’m gonna pop in ‘Decline of Western Civilization,’ the punk years.
May 12, 2011 | Categories: Live Review | Tags: The Heat Seeking Moisture Missiles | Leave A Comment »
Inside The Asylum
James Steingart
“SPREAD THE INSANITY!” That’s the motto for this quintet of devil’s rejects – collectively known as Reasons Lost – hailing from the county in Leamington. And after spending a few hours with them at their jam space or ‘asylum,’ one immediately gets the gist of what these guys are all about. Musically speaking they are a conglomerate of old school/new school, drawing influences from Pantera, Black Sabbath, Lamb Of God, Chimaira and SLAYERRRR!!
The band came together in 2009 when Carriere brothers Drew (lead vocals) and Kris (lead guitar) met up with drummer Gerry Pannunzio. The trio jammed with a bassist to create a skeletal frame as to what would now be known as Reasons Lost. They soon added rhythm guitarist Jason Pavao and have now picked up Matt McCormick to play bass. Red Bull Beer, thrash metal and Jager are a few of their favourite things and these vices were all on hand during an afternoon with them in a darkened room.
They thrashed out some select tunes, one of them being ‘Eye For An Eye.’ “It sounds like you’re trying to get even with somebody but it’s not really about that,” vocalist Drew bluntly states. “Basically a tormented child grows up and now has to deal with seeing that person that tormented them in themselves. And as it boils and boils and boils they get to the point where they actually turn around and kill that person and start to feel normal, it’s sociopath.”
When asked what they felt about metal bands being blamed or mentioned in relation to murder, suicides, school shootings, etc., guitarist Pavao snapped out “They’re not gonna throw on a CD and be like, oh fuck Slayer said kill this guy and they’re gonna go and do it. If the parents were any kind of parents, those kids wouldn’t be like that.” Kris adds “the bottom line is that people make their own decisions, a song can’t make somebody kill themselves. If anything, this music helps me through shit. Music heals.”
Right now, Reasons Lost is gathering up material for their debut full length due out later in the year. They’ve garnered a level of respect on the metal circuit in Windsor, playing the Doomsday Festival at the Blind Dog for 700 people last summer and also headlining the Coach & Horses on occasion. The venue’s recent ‘no moshing’ clause was a topic that was brought up. “Man my head’s been smashed upon that pillar i don’t know how many times”, Pavao blurts out. “I loosened that pillar with someone else’s body,” Drew says half-joking perhaps. One consensus that was made was the fact that the place is home to all the Metal bands in Windsor.
Reasons Lost are on Facebook and you can hear their torture tales @ www.myspace.com/reasonslost519 Escape from whatever institution is driving you crazy and lose all reason with Reasons Lost. They want to see YOU at a show sometime soon.
Reasons Lost are part of a three band bill featuring Goliath and Bullet Proof Tony at The Sunset Club (formerly the VI, 47 Erie St. South, Leamington) on Friday April 22.
April 20, 2011 | Categories: Emerging Artist | Tags: Reasons Lost | Leave A Comment »
James Steingart
Al ‘Yeti’ Bones and his skeleton crew in Gypsy Chief Goliath got the brews flowin’ and the eyes glowin’ down at the dingy dungeon we all have come to know and love as the Coach & Horses. These electric gypsies’ brand of stoner rock/metal is a little more eclectic than the standard fare of those within that genre. Kicking things in with the monster-groove of ‘Black Samurai,’ the band got their faithful followers and friends bobbing heads to the doomy rhythms. The guys continued to churn out swamp and sludge through the night as their harmonica player Brodie brought the demonic blues aspect to the fold with his Sabbath ‘wizardry.’ Yeah, if you like the real early heavy blues rock of Black Sabbath coated with an added crispy and metallic crunch, you’ll dig the sounds of Gypsy Chief Goliath. Sidenote: A surprise and unlikely rendition of Alice Cooper’s “Go To Hell” was a highlight mid-set.
March 23, 2011 | Categories: Live Review | Tags: Gypsy Chief Goliath, The Coach & Horses | Leave A Comment »
