EP Review: WHITE NOISE RADIO - 'Cosmos'
Hailing from Bristol, prog-rockers WHITE NOISE RADIO are gearing up to self-release their second EP, ‘Cosmos’ on July 1st 2017 and what an effort it is!
The riffs are heavy, the grooves are threatening, the choruses offering release. Clearly, this is a band who have hit their stride; dynamically varied and tight to a fault. The musical interplay at work here is astonishing. From massive unison riffs, to subtle passages, the rhythm section lays a rock solid foundation for the rest of the band to shine. Standing on the accessible side of progressive, the music is catchy yet interestingly varied. If you are looking for your prog-rock/metal fix this July, this is it.
Initially teasing your ears with some tasty guitar, 'Siren' slams in with a monumental riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on the new Mastodon record, before dropping back down to allow the vocals to start. Over some tasty bass riffing, Ben Lampard displays a wide range of ability, going between a soft crooning tone to a heavy pushed vocal rasp. The subtle use of electronic instruments in the bridge give nice variation, keeping things fresh. Throughout the EP, the choruses are instantly memorable, repeating over and over in your head. The phrase “ohrwurm” springs to mind.
A nasty guitar tone heralds 'Gone Inside'’s arrival; the bass summons the groove, and groove this does, leaving you no choice but to bang your head. Suddenly kicking into gear, the tight riff work opens up to a massive chorus, demanding to be sung along to. The outro can be summed up in a single word: crushing. Hopefully coming soon to a pit near you.
The lead single, 'Dawning', drops the pace of the EP. That’s not to say there is a lack of riffs, but this single is certainly more accessible to the uninitiated. Huge choruses are the name of the game here. Spacey guitars drenched with reverbs and delays offer respite from the punishment meted out by the first two tracks. This is not to say that there isn’t any room for yet more riffs: you can never have too many. Allowing more rock vibes to come through, this song is a welcome change in tone, and will appear to a wide range of listeners from the first note.
'Wires' follows dawning in the feel, starting out mellow before delivering a sucker punch. You thought this EP was going to chill out? Wrong. Subtle lead work elevates the bridge, before breaking back down into a fist pumping chorus.
Have I mentioned the choruses? Or the riffs? ‘Cosmos’ deals out both in abundance. What more could you ask for? This is an EP worth your precious time. Take 22 minutes, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.
EP review by Conor Foran