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Further
Lo - Further Lo
2004 Powerplay Records
Track
Listing:
1. I Bleed
2. Attachment Theory
3. Awake
4. The Actor
5. Fanatic
6. Untitled (As I Burn)
7. The Past
8. Pissed Off
9. No Vacancy
10. Eraser
Line-Up:
Vocals: Aaron
Werner
Guitars: Donnie Davis, Randy Reynolds
Bass: Sean Miller
Drums: Turk Elliot
Website: www.furtherlo.com
Horatio's Rating: F
Average Overall Rating: F |
Horatio's Review:
A few weeks back our editor sent an e-mail
around asking the reviewers at Kicked In The Face to review
something obscure that our readers may not be aware of. Who better
then than Further Lo, a band I'm positive none of you have heard of
and hopefully never will. Further Lo are a Columbus, Ohio
supposed metal band 'that consistently delivers crunchy guitar riffs,
booming bass lines, thunderous drums and phenomenal driving vocals'
according to their bio. How's that for stale cliché's? The
band's name is suspect enough, and with song titles like 'I Bleed',
'Awake', 'Pissed Off' and 'No Vacancy' you are aware
going in that the crap quotient figures to be high. And it is.
For the record I had no part in obtaining this CD, it was sent to me by a
fellow reviewer who felt I was more 'qualified' to review it. More
like he didn't want any part of this calamity.
In their bio also Further Lo claim to
be influenced by 'perennial heavy hitters such as Slayer, Anthrax, AC/DC,
Nevermore, Iced Earth, Godsmack, Alice In Chains as well as the likes of
Nine Inch Nails, Voivod, C.O.C. and Down'. Get all that?
Take away everyone except Godsmack, AIC, NIN and C.O.C.
and that's exactly what you have. A band with no sound of their own,
just consistently ripping off said bands. In that regard Further Lo
are a disgrace and could almost be sued for their lack of originality.
They try to integrate early 90's grunge with metal, a major concept in
itself, but end up sounding like a band trying to do anything to make it
big. The band looks equally as inept in the sleeve photos.
Guitarist Davis looks old enough to have been an original member of AC/DC,
Reynolds resembles a 1991 grunge cast off, Miller fancies himself as a Limp
Bizkit member (in shocking late breaking news, Miller is out and
replaced by new bassist Ron Cardwell, a Miller look-alike!), while Elliot is
more akin to an NFL linebacker. The worst offender is Werner, who in
both photos strikes his best hardman look, fists clenched, defiant
expression, sleeveless Iced Earth shirt. Hey bro, your band
sucks, I've never heard of your label, your music is the amongst the worst
I've ever heard and you have no business existing. I wonder if there's
anyone who would buy this except the band members themselves. I
wouldn't even download this for free. As low as music sinks.
Song summaries include...
- I Bleed - Song titles as dated
and predictable as this drive me to despair. How much
inspiration does it take to conjure such drivel? Opening with a
vocal delivery similar to that stiff Geoff Tate Werner soon transforms
magically into Sully Erna from Godsmack. The riffs a copy
of Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song', as well. Last time
I'll ever listen to this. D
- Attachment Theory - This band has
none. At the start it's an exact rip off of any C.O.C.
sludge rock bollocks before the band decides they're Alice In
Chains. It's such a note for note replica of both acts that
it might as well be them. Think of something for
yourselves. F
- Awake - In the bio claims are
made that Davis and Reynolds were 'heavily influenced by the
leading thrash metal bands of the 1980's'. Were they?
I wish they would show this influence as it might make this a tad
listenable. What a lie. Didn't Godsmack make a song
called 'Awake'? This must be a cover. Their
influences are really showing through. D
- The Actor - Is this a biography
of what these guys really are? A bunch of dudes who actually
might be metal at heart but instead in order to make concessions to
what's currently hip with the kids, pose as a modern nu-metal act of
sorts. Werner sings 'can you identify what it is I am
supposed to be, can you identify?' Can't help you
there. D-
- Fanatic - Trying to mix things
up, harmonica is added to the dreary sound. This Werner guy
can't make up who he is, suffering from split personalities as a
vocalist. D
- Untitled (As I Burn) - Ballad
time. 'My life is always filled with pain, my mind is filled
with such disdain'. F
- The Past - Boring riff attack
we've all heard before. Added to a Layne Staley copycat vocalist
it's as appetizing as listening to every Cradle Of Filth album
in a row. They actually try a bit of thrash here. Suddenly
Sentinel Beast sound convincing. D
- Pissed Off - Darth Vader on guest
vocals in the opening thirty seconds. D
- No Vacancy - Now here's something
new. Industrial beats merged with metal. I've always
wondered when someone would combine the two. I would have, but I
can't be bothered learning an instrument. Nine Inch Nails.
Fear Factory. Ministry. What year is it
anyway? F
- Eraser - Werner is really
suffering, 'torment nobody knows, a place nobody sees'. I
actually encourage people to sample some of this just to get an idea
of how bad Further Lo are. It makes you think how bad
things are that somebody so creatively bereft and unoriginal could
actually gain a deal of any kind, let alone have a CD available for
the public to buy. This really is confirmation that metal or
whatever you want to label this mess as, is dead and buried and we
still have to go on relying on aging punsters to get anything
decent. This is what grunge did to metal. I'm sick of
having to listen to pathetic music like this, all it does is make you
hate. Where's the new AC/DC album? F
Horatio's Rating: F
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