Undercurrent
Undercurrent hail from the land that is Yorkshire. Based in Sheffield, they are a six piece band that plays a variety of rock/metal. The guys also say you will find an acoustic influence in some tracks and have been likened to bands such as Incubus and Staind. There have been a few ins and outs over the years but it looks like things have settled down a bit and this is what we are left with.
So here we go then, the first track on my magical list was The Count. A melodic, tempting opening riff gets the ball rolling. It’s not long before the vocals hit the floor running, bringing a very Indy feel to the track. A powerful surge kicks a faster, heavier riff to life, almost bringing the vocals out of their shell a little, aptly aided by rawer backing vocals. The drum beat is solid throughout, it’s not exceptionally heavy, and however its hard hitting enough to let you know it’s around. The variations in tempo work well and I liked the slowed down/faded finish.
Darkness has a similar, melodic opening riff to this track. There is a heartfelt feel to the track; it grips you holding you in place as you absorb the tune as well as the lovely bass line being thrown out there. The vocals come to life, aiding the cocktail of drum beats, riffs and hooks. Rather than change the track, the vocals help to push the track along at this relaxed, chilled out pace. There’s a real feel good factor about this track which is why I like it, I could see myself at a live gig listening to this track and losing myself in my thoughts for a while. Simple, yet effective!
And the final track of the lot was Self Loathing, now with a name like that I was expecting something a little heavier and it didn't disappoint. A darker, heavier riff, menacingly orchestrates proceedings, waiting for the vocals to take center stage. They dually oblige and you can instantly hear a difference between them compared to the previous two tracks. There are many different variations in tempo throughout and this is definitely the quickest track of the lot. There’s an awesome guitar solo about three quarters the way through which was a nice touch. The thing I liked most about this track was the way they guys have adapted things from mellow to heavy and still managed to make it work just as well.
From the three tracks I listened to I can say that I liked what I heard. There are lots of variations and contrasts. The riffs are purposeful; the vocals are solid and the drum beats hit home. I will be keeping an eye out in the future for these guys.
To find out more about Undercurrent, check out their Facebook page HERE.
So here we go then, the first track on my magical list was The Count. A melodic, tempting opening riff gets the ball rolling. It’s not long before the vocals hit the floor running, bringing a very Indy feel to the track. A powerful surge kicks a faster, heavier riff to life, almost bringing the vocals out of their shell a little, aptly aided by rawer backing vocals. The drum beat is solid throughout, it’s not exceptionally heavy, and however its hard hitting enough to let you know it’s around. The variations in tempo work well and I liked the slowed down/faded finish.
Darkness has a similar, melodic opening riff to this track. There is a heartfelt feel to the track; it grips you holding you in place as you absorb the tune as well as the lovely bass line being thrown out there. The vocals come to life, aiding the cocktail of drum beats, riffs and hooks. Rather than change the track, the vocals help to push the track along at this relaxed, chilled out pace. There’s a real feel good factor about this track which is why I like it, I could see myself at a live gig listening to this track and losing myself in my thoughts for a while. Simple, yet effective!
And the final track of the lot was Self Loathing, now with a name like that I was expecting something a little heavier and it didn't disappoint. A darker, heavier riff, menacingly orchestrates proceedings, waiting for the vocals to take center stage. They dually oblige and you can instantly hear a difference between them compared to the previous two tracks. There are many different variations in tempo throughout and this is definitely the quickest track of the lot. There’s an awesome guitar solo about three quarters the way through which was a nice touch. The thing I liked most about this track was the way they guys have adapted things from mellow to heavy and still managed to make it work just as well.
From the three tracks I listened to I can say that I liked what I heard. There are lots of variations and contrasts. The riffs are purposeful; the vocals are solid and the drum beats hit home. I will be keeping an eye out in the future for these guys.
To find out more about Undercurrent, check out their Facebook page HERE.
