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Subterfuge - Souls EP
Subterfuge - Souls EP
Self Released - 2001
By Mark Bridgeman
This is the first release from Australians Subterfuge, a five piece from New South Wales who already have an impressive following, which - if this 4 song EP is any indication - isn't surprising.
The first track, 'Souls', chugs like a mid-tempo beast with a slight taste of late 80s thrash. Mark Shore's vocals, though perhaps not captured as well as could be hoped, prove to give the song a dynamic feel that is missing from what is otherwise a solid song.
'Mogwai', which follows, picks up the pace a little, although unfortunately Shore's vox are a little less impressive. This track, however, has a huge riff, displaying the general no-bullshit feel Aussie bands manage to muster. The chorus is great, with the guitars maintaining the groove beneath the vocals - with a little more time in the studio than this demo afforded them (and giving Shore a chance to match the effort he displays on the other tracks), the Fuge could turn this already-impressive song into a beast.
With the bouncing groove of 'Passage To The Mind', I can just imagine the kids pogo-ing at the front of their gigs. This is a monster of a track - the band's love for Metal merged with the stripped-down songwriting brought about by the 90s alterna-scene. This ain't grunge, though - just straight-ahead metal without the frills. If you can listen to this without at least nodding your head along with the beat, then you need to get out more.
Final track, 'Pain In The Line', begins with a stock drum intro to what seems like a lazy riff, until bouncing drums begin to underlay guitar harmonics leading into the chorus. Subterfuge like their groove, and this song drips with it. The guitar-only middle section with drifting vocals and spoken word in the background reminds me of early Megadeth, but without being overblown about it. A solid tune all-up, that rounds off the EP well.
This EP isn't going to break the band into the bigtime, but it will definitely get their collective feet in some doors, and get themselves heard - and deservedly so.
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