FreeK
We were recently put on to Lancaster based punk/metal unit FreeK, to see what we thought of things. Having formed in 2011, the guys draw influence from the likes of Rise Against, Green Day and Nirvana, whilst representing their thoughts and feelings through their music. Stating in their bio that our future is being fucked by those who control it, the band are out to get their message across, convert the world to their music, and to fight hard and mosh harder.
Opening the selection on their Facebook page with Valley Of Sound we’re gotten off to an upbeat and punky start, the mix forming something which is both dirty, downtuned and yet upbeat and the sort of thing you know you’re going to jump about to. Fast paced and firmly rooted in the world of punk, there’s a catchy quality to things on offer here, showing that whilst they’re all about getting their message across, they’re also out to make sure people hook into their music from the word go. Live Now (There’s no need for the afterlife) comes up next, marking a change in the progression of things and showing off a more emotional and laid back style as it comes into being. Building a sense of drama as the initial guitar work paves the way into the track we’re soon back on that upbeat and punk fuelled ride, pushing things back up to speed and hammering out more that catchy and powerful style which got things going. To me, this reminded me a lot of Brodie, a punk band I saw many years ago, yet with a darker edge, something which adds a sense of the ominous to proceedings.
Take Me Out Of Here once again slows things down for the opening moments of the track, this time harking towards their Nirvana influences in the slow and mysterious mix which is formed. Dark and ominous once again, this is a track which is clearly one of the older ones from the band, showing off the more rough recordings of before and showing us where they have developed their sound from. To me, this is one of the stand out tracks on offer here as it shows us what the band sound like, there’s no studio effects or production on things but instead, just that sense that this is what we’d be in for if we were to get out to see them live. The same sort of feeling is conveyed when Bulldog Bi-Plane comes along to keep things moving, building a sound which harks towards the early days of punk and shows off the real sense of attitude in the band. It’s a punk fuelled journey which leads us onto Scattered, another upbeat and jump worthy track packed with hammering guitar lines, catchy vocal hooks and moments which are going to make you want to get out to a show. This is another stand out track for me, the sort of thing which makes you want to hear more, and reminds us why we first listened to punk all that time ago.
Closing with Following Shadows (Live on Canalside Radio) we’re shown one final offering from the band, finishing with another example of what we’re in for when we get out to see them live. The closing moments here are softer than the stuff which leads up to it, but show off the band in another light, letting us know that there’s more to these guys than a simple punk approach, and that we should be taking note of everything they’ve got on offer, rather than just picking out a track here and there to listen to.
I didn’t really know what to expect from a band called FreeK as the name sort of suggests a different feeling to what’s on offer here. It goes to show that there’s more to a band than just their name, and that when they understand what they’re doing, know how to write songs, and have a clear mission in music then they can achieve what they’re after – and I’ve a feeling we’re going to be hearing more from these guys in the future.
To find out more about FreeK, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening the selection on their Facebook page with Valley Of Sound we’re gotten off to an upbeat and punky start, the mix forming something which is both dirty, downtuned and yet upbeat and the sort of thing you know you’re going to jump about to. Fast paced and firmly rooted in the world of punk, there’s a catchy quality to things on offer here, showing that whilst they’re all about getting their message across, they’re also out to make sure people hook into their music from the word go. Live Now (There’s no need for the afterlife) comes up next, marking a change in the progression of things and showing off a more emotional and laid back style as it comes into being. Building a sense of drama as the initial guitar work paves the way into the track we’re soon back on that upbeat and punk fuelled ride, pushing things back up to speed and hammering out more that catchy and powerful style which got things going. To me, this reminded me a lot of Brodie, a punk band I saw many years ago, yet with a darker edge, something which adds a sense of the ominous to proceedings.
Take Me Out Of Here once again slows things down for the opening moments of the track, this time harking towards their Nirvana influences in the slow and mysterious mix which is formed. Dark and ominous once again, this is a track which is clearly one of the older ones from the band, showing off the more rough recordings of before and showing us where they have developed their sound from. To me, this is one of the stand out tracks on offer here as it shows us what the band sound like, there’s no studio effects or production on things but instead, just that sense that this is what we’d be in for if we were to get out to see them live. The same sort of feeling is conveyed when Bulldog Bi-Plane comes along to keep things moving, building a sound which harks towards the early days of punk and shows off the real sense of attitude in the band. It’s a punk fuelled journey which leads us onto Scattered, another upbeat and jump worthy track packed with hammering guitar lines, catchy vocal hooks and moments which are going to make you want to get out to a show. This is another stand out track for me, the sort of thing which makes you want to hear more, and reminds us why we first listened to punk all that time ago.
Closing with Following Shadows (Live on Canalside Radio) we’re shown one final offering from the band, finishing with another example of what we’re in for when we get out to see them live. The closing moments here are softer than the stuff which leads up to it, but show off the band in another light, letting us know that there’s more to these guys than a simple punk approach, and that we should be taking note of everything they’ve got on offer, rather than just picking out a track here and there to listen to.
I didn’t really know what to expect from a band called FreeK as the name sort of suggests a different feeling to what’s on offer here. It goes to show that there’s more to a band than just their name, and that when they understand what they’re doing, know how to write songs, and have a clear mission in music then they can achieve what they’re after – and I’ve a feeling we’re going to be hearing more from these guys in the future.
To find out more about FreeK, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls