ELITE : REVIEW
ELITE : REVIEW
CKY - The Phoenix Longbranch / SPV | Release Date : 16th June 2017
Rising from the ashes , CKY are back ! Being their first album since 2009 ’ s Carver City , the riff rockers are set to release new album The Phoenix which combines classic CKY with a slightly newer angle to the bands sound .
Tracks Days of Self Destruction and Lies From You really capture that signature stomp that we all know and love from the band , hailing back to the days of 96 Quite Bitter Beings and Flesh Into Gear but are also sprinkled with the addition of synths , proving to be the definitive highlights of the album . Head For A Breakdown is a straight up rock banger and is truly the stand out track , showcasing guitarist and lead singer Chad I Ginsburg ’ s absolutely fantastic guitar work as an example of what is displayed all throughout the release and also shows the bands variation with the use of an acoustic guitar for the songs most incredible intro . Sadly , tracks such as Unknown Enemy just miss the mark with the overuse of similar drum patterns and are often left with the curse of not sounding too dissimilar from other songs on the album but still see the band triumph with nothing short of a solid release !
With a collection of instant classics and songs that are bound to grow on you , The Phoenix is the comeback album that is definitely worth the wait !
Create To Inspire - Sickness Basick Records | Release Date : 26th May 2017
One of the UK ’ s most promising bands on the melodic hardcore front is Essex quintet Create To Inspire . The band who usually have a pretty hectic touring schedule took some time off last year to focus on writing and recording their debut album , Sickness . The record starts with a swell and anticipation as tension builds into opener ‘ Agony ’. Even from this one song it ’ s clear that the band have improved and tightened up all that makes them great . The melodies are catchier , the structure of the songs ebb and flow a lot more seamlessly and vocalist Sean Midson ’ s clean vocals have come on leaps and bounds from their previous releases .
There ’ s a lot less emphasis on the thick textures riffs that the guys dealt out in their early material with more focus being on the lyrics and themes that run throughout Sickness . The record is essentially a cry for help and being able to grow . ‘ Recluse ’ announces that , “ We are all imperfect in our own way , we can change or simply stay the same ” whilst the title track declares “ Ill find a way to kill this suffering to fight the sickness in me ”. It ’ s these lyrical passages that will help the band connect with their listeners as at times we ’ ve all felt this way . The songs tread similar paths but the impact of the lyrics and the fact that the record as a whole never dips in quality see ’ s Create To Inspire rise above many of their peers .
Words by Joshua Clarke
Words by James D Maxim
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