RED BEE: EP

Produced by Red Bee and Clayton Segelov

Released: 2009

I had the president of the radio station I work at tell me about Red Bee some years ago now during a band competition he was judging. At the time I didn't take much notice because, to be honest, they were called Red Bee. How good could they be with a name like that? As it turns out, this Blue Mountains trio isn't too bad at all. Having spent a few years conquering their local live scene, Red Bee now has their sights further afield. The guys have just unleashed this six track EP, which I picked up during a well-attended launch at Gearins in Katoomba.

These guys are in a similar vein to Mammal, playing heavy rock that isn't quite metal but would appeal to sectors of the metal audience. Red Bee are heavier and less funky than Mammal, with more of a Helmet-like groove going on instead. Certainly Daniel Silk can lay down a mosh riff to rival Page Hamilton when the mood takes him. They also play around with progressive influences like Primus and TOOL, creating an all-rounded alternametal style. Silk's vocals have a Helmet-like quality too. Imagine Hamilton snarling with an Aussie accent, and that's close to what the singing on this is like.

Strangely-titled opener "Hot Titty" comes in on a bouncy staccato riff that establishes the inherent catchiness of the entire EP. They're a tight unit and the riffs and grooves are intersperced with some nice space and noodling passages that they never let get out of hand. "Loaded" has a seriously mean groove and hook, and is easily the highlight of the CD. If there is a criticism it's that there seems to be a bit of an over-dependence on the same similar riff pattern, making several of the tracks sound rather similar to each other. With only a timely nuance of melody or a secondary motif separating one song from the next, this tends to make it drag a little toward the end. Regardless, this is quite an auspicious debut that should find listeners from a rather broad cross-section of the heavy music crowd.

1. Hot Titty
2. On Top of the World
3. Skippy
4. Loaded
5. Light of My Life
6. Team 88

Rating: 72%