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EP Reviews

Salem

Salem II

Salem Salem II Album EP Cover
Salem – ‘Salem II’

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SALEM – SALEM II – ALBUM REVIEW

Last Autumn saw Creeper singer Will Gould debut Salem, his new project with Matt Reynolds. After much acclaim the band return with their latest EP, ‘Salem II’.

The EP is a short but sweet punk rock bop, which has all the vibes of the early Creeper EP’s. It captures Gould at his very best and grows the seeds sown by Salem’s debut EP. With this EP, they become something bigger than a side-project. They feel now like an entity that will continue growing and provide another creative outlet to those involved.

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Salem – ‘Keep The Thorns’

This is good news, as the band now has a lengthy UK tour planned. The songs on this EP sound as though they will become much bigger in the live setting. ‘Keep The Thorns’ and ‘Sweet Tooth’ particularly whet the appetite for those shows.

Each song on the EP is strong and as the record finishes on ‘Heaven Help Me’ you are left craving more. Purpose served then for ‘Salem II’ as Salem continue to genesis.

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Categories
EP Reviews

Black Sky Research

One

Black Sky Research – ‘Light up the Sky’

Following his self-imposed exile from music, former Mallory Knox vocalist Mikey Chapman is back. After a period of self-evaluation Chapman has joined forces with guitarist Luke Hicks to create Black Sky Research. Having debuted the single ‘Light up the Sky’ earlier this year, the band have now released their first EP ‘One’.

With Chapman’s distinguished vocals at the forefront there are of course Mallory Knox comparisons to be made, but on ‘One’ the band show an expansive sound that truly harnesses Chapman’s vocal power. Opening with ‘Light up the Sky’ the EP is full of peaks and valleys, crashing guitars and melancholy preludes punctuated by Chapman’s soaring vocals.

The EP is conceptual in nature and over the course of five songs details the protagonists fight to find his love during the chaos of the end of the world. ‘Midnight’, ‘Twilight’ and ‘Transmit’ all continue the story whilst laying the foundations for the band’s future sound.

There is plenty here for fans of Chapman’s previous band, equally however there is plenty to dissect from the storytelling point of view. Some lyrics almost feel autobiographical in nature as Chapman makes a statement of intent. On the EP’s finale ‘Dawn’, Chapman sings of second chances and this EP feels like a second chance for Chapman to showcase his immense talents.