You know that band Walls Of Jericho, right? Course you do! That hard as nails lot with the screaming queen of hardcore (stop sniggering we are talking music OK) singer who delivers her vocals like a kick in the balls. If you have ever seen them live (which you really should do) you will be well aware of what turmoil they cause in the pit. Last time I caught them at With Full Force they got the biggest circle pits of the weekend, had big grown men limping out the brawl, tears in their eyes and had more testosterone in their set than even the likes of Terror and Hatebreed who were playing alongside them.
Therefore putting this CD in the player before reading the blurb on the back I knew exactly what to expect from this, it was gonna be lewd, crude and tattooed. Five minutes later having skipped through a couple of numbers and scratched my head and my balls like a Neanderthal caveman on heat I took the CD out the player, looked at it, scratched my butt and put it back in to try again. The reason for such bemusement was thankfully spelt out for idiots like me on the back of the promo CD.
This is very different, it is a concept that Walls Of Jericho had been wanting to fulfil for 6 years and is a (wait for it)…. acoustic EP with Candace singing like a, well, like a lady! Wow what an absolutely devastatingly beautiful voice she has using her ‘singing’ voice as well. If I had heard 2006 album ‘With The Devils Amongst Us All’ I may have been somewhat prepared as it features one track from this EP, but this was a first for me and the band that I have always admired have shot up in my estimation as a result.
I should also mention that this was produced and recorded at the home of Corey Taylor and he provides backing vocals to several of the numbers here. First of which is ‘Ember Drive’ a heartfelt ballad that is touching enough to have the toughest pit brawler crying into his beard. In fact it should come with a warning not to be played to anyone with an emo haircut under any circumstances. Razor sales are going to shoot up when this hits the airwaves. It is a simple enough structured song and that is where it works so well, the vocal interplay works superbly and the moribund caress of the strumming guitar tones accompany this all the way down to the tomb. This is exactly how a fractured love-song should sound.
‘My Last Stand’ well I could imagine Julianne Regan singing this as it comes in with a Martha’s Harbour guitar vibe. Vocals are deeper though and hit the chorus with a real soulful warmth, which really touches you and sends shivers down the spine. ‘No Saving Me’ is that aforementioned album track, one that again is absolutely beautiful but does build up to deliver a thunderous growl from the singer, more in her natural style and when it hits it’s like the calm has been ripped apart by a threatening tornado. I have to say this does remind a bit of the acoustic Lacuna Coil (minus the roars of course).
Unfortunately I find the cover very hard work, no matter who sings and how well they sing ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ it will be forever a number ruined by pub covers bands and drunken idiots on karaoke. Thankfully ‘Addicted’ is much better and really allows Corey to get beneath the skin, more pronounced on another great duet. Strangely enough the guitar clamour on this reminds me of New Model Army, another band who know how to structure an acoustic song to perfection. Never thought I would mention these two bands in the same review. So there you have it, this really is a great unexpected listen and well worth checking out.
http://www.wallsofjericho.tv
http://www.myspace.com/wallsofjericho
