Average Rating: 3
Demo Title: The Rage of It All
Location: Aurora, OH
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There are currently 1 Reviews of this Demo.
Average Rating: 3 |
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Demo Title: The Rage of It All Location: Aurora, OH |
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Hel's Review:
This demo arrived on vinyl, which is cool in concept without a doubt. It was cool to get, I admit. The uncool part was that I don't own a turntable and I don't even know anyone else who does either. So it took months for me to find a way to hear this. As a result, doing this review at last is like finally getting a monkey off my back.The album arrived with a letter and two 8 1/2 x 14 photocopies. One of these sheets was an article from an unidentified source dated March 1998. The other consisted of lyrics and some homemade art. Obviously the flaw with the first sheet is the lack of citation, but additionally it may be beneficial to also include something more recent, if available. The lyric sheet should definitely have included the band line-up in addition to the contact information that was provided.
Boulder seem to possess a sense of humor that I just don't get. From the bizarre Metal meets Grateful Dead meets tacky porno artwork on the LP cover, to the song lyrics, I can tell it's somehow supposed to be a joke. One I don't get, but then I'm not really trying. In regard to the cover, I have to tell you that being female, I occasionally am put off by gratuitous use of the female body, as is the case here. In general, I simply overlook this, knowing that in most cases it is not meant with ill intent. I would do this here as well, except that I am reviewing this so I have to touch on it.
The music contained on this platter, seems to be primarily guitar driven with what could be death-style vocals. The mix is along the lines of typical demo goo, and the vocals are almost completely lost therein. This is good in a way, because I understand death vocals, and I would hate to actually have to listen to the lyrics found on that sheet. No offense guys, but they appear to be extremely inane and repetitive. But I also think that is probably part of the humor I'm missing.
In general, the music often has a Black Sabbath-style groovy feel which is generally not found paired with the harsh vocals of this style, and it is certainly interesting in that regard. The band as a whole seems, if I'm hearing it correctly and it's not just a trick of the muddy mix, pretty tight and they have a solid foundation for their songs.
In the end however, when I consider all of the above factors, I find that while Boulder has clear potential, there is still room for growth. I would recommend creating a contact sheet with a band bio and quality photos, and getting them printed up professionally on quality paper. Silly as it may be, glossy always gives the impression of professionalism, and a well written bio allows insight into the band itself. The Rage of It All is a good effort though.
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