Maine’s BIG COFFIN HUNTERS have themselves a heavy hitting 5 song self-produced debut EP. It’s bar rock, but these guys are a talented, hard-working bar band with quality songs that can record well produced material. The fancy licks and steady rock rhythm that starts out “Quantum Jesus” will make you think you’re listening to SATRIANI, but singer Matthew Morris’s vocals give it just the right amount of hometown flavor. The next track, “Lizzy Borden”, is certainly not the first song written about the axe-wielding parent-slaying madam, but this one may have the catchiest groove. These guys also know how to do effective tempo changes, such as the upbeat to slow grind in “Anger Management”. The two-octave overlaid OZZY like vocals in “Sailing” are a great touch, and they even manage to pull off an 8+ minute long track in their closer “Going Out Like Hemingway” that doesn’t get monotonous. The lyrics are witty with a nice hidden spiteful bite to them, further reinforcing the band’s “serious but fun at the same time” message. The amount of effort that went into this thing has definitely paid off.

Still, it does suck that after months of reviewing mediocre album after mediocre album from Candlelight Records that once I finally do get something good to review, it’s so damn short! I mean, where’s the justice here? It’s kind of like going to see one of your favorite underground European bands opening up for somebody else and they only play 5 songs. Yes, I’m aware that self-releasing a CD does cost a considerable amount of money. Still, they’ve got a great thing going here, and hopefully they haven’t completely exhausted themselves making this EP, because anyone who hears it is going to want more. And when there is more, they should send it this way.

- Cardona

OFFICIAL SITE: www.bigcoffinhuntersmusic.com

RELATED ITEMS: No related articles at this time.