What is it about Northern Ireland? Bands
up there just seem to sweat heavy rock dripping in melodies out of their pores. Mainstays like Therapy?, forgotten favourites such as Throat and recently established acts such as And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA) can just marry these two elements together seamlessly, while the rest of us look on in wonder.
Well you can add another name to that list now as County Down’s Tied To Machines step up with their debut three-track EP glistening on a plate. A rip-roaring ride through fuzzed-up punk, tinged with melodies and hooks so big you could pull a blue whale ashore using them, Tied To Machines floor it right from the start of “Sociopath,” don’t let up through “No Hugging, No Learning” until, all too quickly, “Otamendi” snaps to a close and all you want to do is press play again.
If this were a vehicle, it’d be a smooth-looking muscle car, painted venom green but with a massive rocket strapped to the back, flames shooting out as it zooms past gunning for the horizon, Queens of the Stone Age blaring from the speakers. They hit the ground fast and refuse to ease off except to put some spin on when going around the corners. “No Hugging, No Learning” bristles with the energy of The Ghost Of A Thousand in its swaggering steps and sing-song vocal delivery. “Otamdeni” rides along on a wave-like riff, broken up by tight drum snaps and a nice Nirvana-esque vocal line, while opener ‘Sociopath’ is an almost sugar-coated punk song that never gets too sweet, the guitaralternating between a ramped up Fu Manchu feel and some ASIWYFA-style prodding, before rushing to a close.
Skip on over to their website to have a listen, stick it on repeat a few times and then jump onto your on-line retailer of choice and fork out the meagre pennies it costs to buy this beauty. The only problem you’ll find with the Tied To Machines EP is that it’s so damn short, but occasionally a short sharp shock is just what you need. It’ll be interesting to see where these guys go next. Ones to watch in 2012 for certain.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)