Kinetik Review
Miriam's Thoughts:
Kinetik are a four piece technical groove metal band from San Jose, California formed in 2007. They take the genre of metal and tease and mould it to their own tune with pulsating tempos and intense, savage riffs. Closer than contact, taken from their latest album Heavier Element, emulates this concept. It pushes boundaries of the genre and loudly offers the band's diverse and unique interpretation of the vibrant Californian metal scene.
Words: Miriam Doona
Dave's Thoughts:
We were sent through a press release a while back that sparked my interest in a big way, letting us know about the spanking new album from Kinetik, Heavier Elements. With roots that stretch all the way back to 2007, Kinetik are described as technical groove metal, pushing a sound that’s firmly their own, but seen as an intense force in the San Francisco Bay Area metal scene. With their first EP released in 2010, and the current album recorded in late 2012 with Zack Orhen (All Shall Perish, Warbringer, Suffocation), Heavier Elements promises to be the bands most intricate work yet – so what of the music?
Blasting into being with Static Motion we’re led into the opening moments of the album by rolling drums, hammering guitar work and bass heavy rhythms, the whole mix adopting a technical approach, laden with grooves from the off and pushing the boundaries of the heavier end of the spectrum. Even as the vocals come into being the track continues to evolve, developing as it progresses and continuing to offer up differentiated time signatures, powerful riffs, roaring vocals and haunting backing lines, setting the album up to get going and showing us what we’re in for – and it’s sounding heavy. Obsolete Zero continues this approach further, pummelling the listener from the word go with technical guitar work, hammering rhythm lines and those incredible time signatures. Managing to match the intricacy of the guitar work with the insane drum work going on, this track seems to pack even more of a punch than the opening moments, combining the groove orientated technical approach with an almost industrial backing, developing the sound into what comes across as a heavy assed melee of elements, all perfectly combined into a mix that’s sure to get you cranking the volume ever higher.
An Occasional Pulse once again keeps things moving, opening with a hauntingly beautiful intro before developing the sound bit by bit, before unleashing the all out fury of Kinetik. Intricate lead lines work with more of those rolling drums, the rumbling bass rhythms backing everything up before once again shifting their outlook. Moving from all out power to laid back restrained lines then back again, this track is another demonstration of just how able these guys are, combining different styles into a mix that’s coherent, clear and packs one hell of a punch. Once again showing their prowess for speedy metal, Substance comes up next and shifts everything up a gear, hammering onwards with powerful riffs, soaring lead lines and those incredible drums. Fast paced and raw throughout, this is the first showcase of the full force of Kinetik, fully unleashing all of the power in their arsenal and hammering out a track that’s sure to absolutely kill on the live scene. No riff is out of place, no drum line out of time and no vocal line too much, the track simply flows from one movement to the next, all the time keeping the listener engaged, involved and wanting more.
Moving on through the sludgy and doom orientated Closer Than Contact to the haunting and somehow moving Straight Red, onto the straight up classic in waiting that is Out of Body and onto the laid back and soft, moving moments of Expansion, each track comes as a showcase of what Kinetik can do, showing they’re by no means one trick ponies, and that when it comes to music, these guys seriously know what they’re doing. It’s no surprise then that as the storming Visible Light comes into being, the power of the band is once again fully unleashed and their heavy roots are once again put firmly on show. Raw, groove orientated and more powerful than words can ever express, this track presents us with a serious high point, and a moment that I would consider to be my personal favourite from the album – it’s just a no holds barred aural assault designed to get pits moving, venues crumbling, and everyone going absolutely mental.
Working through the hammering Non-Locality and bass orientated Acres Of Space, we’re all too soon led to the end of the album, with only On Starless Nights to finish things off – but what a finish it is. Powerful, raw and in your face after the echoing, haunting intro, the final moments of the album close things off in style, finishing with an almighty crescendo designed to leave a lasting imprint on your mind of what you heard. Intricate guitar work, syncopated drum work and incredible bass rhythms, this track may be the last on the album, but rest assured that as it comes to a close, you’ll be reaching to head back to the beginning all over again.
Having listened to Kinetik a few times now I’m still stunned by the sheer amount of power they’ve managed to contain on their album, but equally am blown away by the sheer level of ability on display from start to finish. All too often bands seem to go through the motions of making an album without putting the effort into turning it into a masterpiece, yet Kinetik seem to have done the opposite, stepping up with an album that’s intricate, powerful, raw, emotional, and quite simply masterful from start to finish.
Definitely a band you should be looking out for.
To find out more about Kinetik, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Kinetik are a four piece technical groove metal band from San Jose, California formed in 2007. They take the genre of metal and tease and mould it to their own tune with pulsating tempos and intense, savage riffs. Closer than contact, taken from their latest album Heavier Element, emulates this concept. It pushes boundaries of the genre and loudly offers the band's diverse and unique interpretation of the vibrant Californian metal scene.
Words: Miriam Doona
Dave's Thoughts:
We were sent through a press release a while back that sparked my interest in a big way, letting us know about the spanking new album from Kinetik, Heavier Elements. With roots that stretch all the way back to 2007, Kinetik are described as technical groove metal, pushing a sound that’s firmly their own, but seen as an intense force in the San Francisco Bay Area metal scene. With their first EP released in 2010, and the current album recorded in late 2012 with Zack Orhen (All Shall Perish, Warbringer, Suffocation), Heavier Elements promises to be the bands most intricate work yet – so what of the music?
Blasting into being with Static Motion we’re led into the opening moments of the album by rolling drums, hammering guitar work and bass heavy rhythms, the whole mix adopting a technical approach, laden with grooves from the off and pushing the boundaries of the heavier end of the spectrum. Even as the vocals come into being the track continues to evolve, developing as it progresses and continuing to offer up differentiated time signatures, powerful riffs, roaring vocals and haunting backing lines, setting the album up to get going and showing us what we’re in for – and it’s sounding heavy. Obsolete Zero continues this approach further, pummelling the listener from the word go with technical guitar work, hammering rhythm lines and those incredible time signatures. Managing to match the intricacy of the guitar work with the insane drum work going on, this track seems to pack even more of a punch than the opening moments, combining the groove orientated technical approach with an almost industrial backing, developing the sound into what comes across as a heavy assed melee of elements, all perfectly combined into a mix that’s sure to get you cranking the volume ever higher.
An Occasional Pulse once again keeps things moving, opening with a hauntingly beautiful intro before developing the sound bit by bit, before unleashing the all out fury of Kinetik. Intricate lead lines work with more of those rolling drums, the rumbling bass rhythms backing everything up before once again shifting their outlook. Moving from all out power to laid back restrained lines then back again, this track is another demonstration of just how able these guys are, combining different styles into a mix that’s coherent, clear and packs one hell of a punch. Once again showing their prowess for speedy metal, Substance comes up next and shifts everything up a gear, hammering onwards with powerful riffs, soaring lead lines and those incredible drums. Fast paced and raw throughout, this is the first showcase of the full force of Kinetik, fully unleashing all of the power in their arsenal and hammering out a track that’s sure to absolutely kill on the live scene. No riff is out of place, no drum line out of time and no vocal line too much, the track simply flows from one movement to the next, all the time keeping the listener engaged, involved and wanting more.
Moving on through the sludgy and doom orientated Closer Than Contact to the haunting and somehow moving Straight Red, onto the straight up classic in waiting that is Out of Body and onto the laid back and soft, moving moments of Expansion, each track comes as a showcase of what Kinetik can do, showing they’re by no means one trick ponies, and that when it comes to music, these guys seriously know what they’re doing. It’s no surprise then that as the storming Visible Light comes into being, the power of the band is once again fully unleashed and their heavy roots are once again put firmly on show. Raw, groove orientated and more powerful than words can ever express, this track presents us with a serious high point, and a moment that I would consider to be my personal favourite from the album – it’s just a no holds barred aural assault designed to get pits moving, venues crumbling, and everyone going absolutely mental.
Working through the hammering Non-Locality and bass orientated Acres Of Space, we’re all too soon led to the end of the album, with only On Starless Nights to finish things off – but what a finish it is. Powerful, raw and in your face after the echoing, haunting intro, the final moments of the album close things off in style, finishing with an almighty crescendo designed to leave a lasting imprint on your mind of what you heard. Intricate guitar work, syncopated drum work and incredible bass rhythms, this track may be the last on the album, but rest assured that as it comes to a close, you’ll be reaching to head back to the beginning all over again.
Having listened to Kinetik a few times now I’m still stunned by the sheer amount of power they’ve managed to contain on their album, but equally am blown away by the sheer level of ability on display from start to finish. All too often bands seem to go through the motions of making an album without putting the effort into turning it into a masterpiece, yet Kinetik seem to have done the opposite, stepping up with an album that’s intricate, powerful, raw, emotional, and quite simply masterful from start to finish.
Definitely a band you should be looking out for.
To find out more about Kinetik, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls