Released: 11th May
Released By: Rook Recordings
Genre: Blues Rock
Line Up:
Oli Brown – Vocals/Guitar/Bass
Kev Hickman – Drums
Aaron Spiers – Bass
Track Listing:
1.0 Breaking Out
2.0 Get It Started
3.0 Hey Hey Yeah
4.0 Runaway
5.0 You Got It
If you were to catch me by surprise and ask me right now who my vote for new band of the year would be, I would have little or no hesitation in telling you RavenEye. The Milton Keynes based blues rock trio are made up of singer and guitarist Oli Brown, drummer Kev Hickman and bassist and Aussie native Aaron Spiers. And quite the talented lot they are too, while still only 25, Brown has an impressive four solo albums already under his belt, while Spiers has composed a number of orchestral scores.
So were not dealing with a bunch of mugs here, and when you hear the opening track Breaking Out, you’ll know what I mean. I thought it was the second coming of Black Sabbath, with the abrasive distorted guitar and the chillingly epic chorus, it makes for compelling listening. Get It Started is a completely different animal, a blues rock driven song that takes a cheeky detour in the middle with a way too tasty riff. Without doubt a song that will take on a whole new existence in the live domain.
Hey Hey Yeah struts along nicely with it’s cock sure stomp, but the real jewel is Brown’s exquisite and effortless vocals, a complete joy to behold. It’s not very often you come across a guy that can belt out a fairly demanding song with such ease, you just have to sit back and smile. That pulse thumping rhythm continues on Runaway, largely due to Hickman and Spiers blatant compatibility on a track firmly in the Kings Of Leon mode, only this is thoroughly believable. I predict even the most fussiest of mainstream radio stations worth their salt will bang this out regularly.
Of course being an EP, it’s over in a flash, which in this case is a royal shame. But it’s rounded off in style with the dark and eccentric You Got It. The doom encrusted riff is the main kingpin of this song till the impromptu like guitar solo. And just as this EP started, it immediately grabs you by the vitals and refuses point blank to let go. Even if this is just a modicum of what to expect from future releases, rock n’roll has undoubtedly unearthed the mother load.
Written by: Brian Boyle