EP NAME: CHAPTER II
RELEASE DATE: 04 NOVEMBER 2022
COUNTRY: SOUTH AFRICA
GENRE: ROCK/GRUNGE/BLUES[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I have to say as someone who grew up with the grunge scene since about the age of 10, the intro song Black Sun Blues immediately caught my attention. In 1994 when I was 10 years old, I would consider that era of the early 1990’s the golden era of grunge music. With acts like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam etc were blowing onto the music scene like crazy.
The first song reminded me so much of those days, a young kid still finding her identity, discovering all kinds of music, living in a kind of fantasy world with this music and bands.
The fact that a modern local musician can create those memories/feelings actually kind of blew my mind, seeing that I was skeptical to do this review at first, as Metal is usually the overpowering genre I listen to and write about.
The last year or so, I have rediscovered and have felt a new appreciation for the genre of grunge/rock, and I think Ross Harding is an absolute breath of fresh air in the SA music industry. The vocals are stellar, and I am almost inclined to put his vocal range in the same class as Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age and Jerry Cantrell.
The whole ep is brilliantly produced and mastered, the last track Let it Go II (Return) gives a more moody/bluesy vibe, but it is a really beautiful song. Ross describes it as: “Lyrically inspired by Freud and Jung, with themes of the shadow self, alchemy and the doomed search for immortality, finally reaching acceptance of one’s mortality.” The lyrics of all the songs are written really well and sets you on intricate journeys within the self, as does this whole ep.
Look out for this great EP along with the music video of Black Sun Blues to be released on social media platforms on November 4.
Reviewed by: Amanda Els
Rating: 9/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
All Social Links https://linktr.ee/rossharding
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