ALBUM REVIEW: Silent Agreement - From the Amusement Park

SILENT AGREEMENT (Germany)
"From the Amusement Park"
(Independent)
Release date: February 16th 2020
Genre: Hard rock, stoner rock, grunge rock

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SILENT AGREEMENT are a foursome of musicians that since their live debut in 2018 have made quite an impact on their local hard rock scene in Germany. Their performances have given the band a reputation of being a very energetic live act, and after having achieved this highly valued merit the band entered the studio to record the EP that we're having a closer look at today.

Very little information was given to me about the band themselves, apart from links and production info, but we'll focus on the main feature itself; the music.

SILENT AGREEMENT's first addition to their discography is an EP that sounds like the band has found a lot of inspiration from their genre's 70's era. Albeit their expression is a dirty and unpolished one, "From the Amusement Park" has received a modern and powerful production treatment.

The three tracks on the band's first studio effort are loaded with riffs that often prove that less is more. For instance, the riff that is the basis of the opening track "Solid" is far from the most innovative of riffs, but serves in all its simplicity as a powerful momentum that gives the track a heavy, almost stoner-like drive. Simple, but effective.

"Dream World" and "Judas" are more upbeat than the opening track, and the introductory riff on the former is a treat you don't want to miss. The chorus is one that stays in the back of your head long after you played it, and the instrumental middle section is a curious little anti climax in a song like this. "Judas" has a bit of a funky approach that comes as a bit of a surprise, but nevertheless an interesting feature on a track that concludes the nearly twelve minutes of music on SILENT AGREEMENT's debut EP.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Solid*
2. Dream World*
3. Judas

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2020 playlist on Spotify.

Line up:
Roman Erken - vocals
Michael Enders - guitar
Lukas Krenzer - bass
Ben Mathe - drums

DEMO REVIEW: BS Bone - Inside Insanity

BS BONE (Italy)
"Inside Insanity"
(Independent)
Release date: October 31st 2019
Genre: Hard rock, stoner rock, punk rock, grunge rock

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From the Molise region in southern Italy comes a three piece ensemble that has played together since 2017. The nucleus of what was to later become BS BONE took shape after Vyper (bass/vocals) and Steve Grind (guitar) decided they wanted to blast the dust from their amps, and started working on riffs with the intention of creating new, original material.

Eventually, BS BONE became a reality after the addition of drummer Leo, and the band recorded a four track demo during the summer of 2019. This very demo is today's subject for review here on the Subterranean Noise blog, so let's have a look, shall we?

"I Don't Give a Fuck" is the welcoming title of the opening track, and it starts off nicely with a riff that has a raw, dirty and catchy Motörheadish drive. The rhythm section joins the game with an almost funky, midtempo groove that immediately sends this listener's thoughts back to Rage Against the Machine in their early days. A good, consistent choice for an opening track, and it holds nothing back on showing the attitude that these three Italian dudes have.

"99 Lions in a Cage" takes the band in a slightly different direction. The guitars seem very inspired by Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters and even Iron Maiden. More melodic than the opener, but an interesting track that proves that BS BONE in terms of style certainly appear quite versatile.

This writer's personal favorite is "Dysfunctional Souls", a furious little bastard of a track that brings the band back into their punky raw mode, making "99 Lions in a Cage" seem like a ballad in comparison. A suitable reference could be Suicidal Tendencies, and their "Join the Army" album from 1987.

The demo concludes with the slightly heavier "Rant", filled to the brink with powerful riffs and pounding drums. A wah-wah seasoned chorus riff gives this closing track a Black Sabbath/Kyuss type of vibe, thus making it a worthy ending of BS BONE's first introduction.

The only thing I am struggling with are the vocals. They very quickly get rather tiresome, and (for this writer's personal taste) put quite a damper on the material overall. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to hearing how these songs, and hopefully many more, will sound in a cleaner production. That being said, "Inside Insanity" sounds fairly decent for a demo. It was recorded and produced by the band themselves, and I would say they did a good job shaping it into the product it became.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Tracklist:
1. I Don't Give a Fuck
2. 99 Lions in a Cage*
3. Dysfunctional Souls*
4. Rant

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2019 playlist on Spotify.

LINE UP:
Vyper - bass and lead vocals
Steve Grind - guitars
Leo - drums and backing vocals