The Effect - 'Lioness' (self released) 5/5

I first encountered young Swansea band The Effect a year or so back when they supported my outfit Alien Stash Tin over in Wales and blew us off stage, they had just released their debut ep (reviewed here) and that release proved a big hit with the people of radioland and got a lot of airplay on the BCFM show. Now they are back with this, their second ep release.

Now Lioness kicks off where the bands previous effort 'Everything has Gone' left off. There are seven tracks on off (well five main songs, an intro and a bonus track) and just like the band debut its another fine package of expertly played and produced, catchy as hell, commercial hard rock that shows these guys have a musical maturity well beyond their tender years. Batting firmly off the modern commercial hard edged rock wicket of the likes of Kids In Glass Houses, Lost Prophets, Muse, Funeral For A Friend, Shinedown etc, these lads lay down a fine edgy and angsty sound-scape for the new generation, all huge hooks, massive guitar sounds, pounding rhythms and some truly sublime breakdowns.

Now my only real criticism of the bands previous ep was the fact they lacked a little in the light and shade department, and seamed to hold back in places and never really let themselves rock out. However I'm glad to say that on this one that issue has been addressed. OK they never quite let rip into Funeral For A Friend style post hardcore aggression, but on tracks like Vulture and As The World Came Down they do step the RAWK dial up a few notches, just enough to give the band a bit of quality light and shade, and believe me they are all the better for it.

Highlights? well the whole ep is damn good and highly entertaining, but to select just two fave cuts on mine, we have to single out the title track, which is a glorious angry anthem to teen rebellion that builds from from something fairly quiet and introspective into a huge air punching anthem to die for; and the bonus track True Colours which is a superb slice of modern moshpit friendly commercial hard rock to die for.

At the moment The Effect are local heroes in parts of South Wales and almost unknown elsewhere, but if they can carry on releasing stuff like this I can only see far bigger and better things for these guys in the future. I'll watch their development with interest

Get hold of this ep NOW!!


For fans of.. Muse, Kids In Glass Houses, Shinedown, I Divide, Lost Prophets etc...

The Effect - 'Everything Has Gone' (self released) 4.5/5

I'm constantly being left in awe of the shear weight of musical talent that is coming from South Wales at the moment, especially from the Swansea / Llanelli area, and now to add to a canon of names like V0iD, Nine Plan Failed, Anterior etc we have The Effect, a band that can be considered as one of the very best of the current crop.

This young Swansea based quartet, none of which are over 18, play a catchy brand of commercial post indie rock that has a bit of the Muse / Lost Prophets vibe to it, and they play it with a drive and passion few others can match. This debut self released six track mini album is an almost perfect show case for their talent. From the opening chiming guitars on Plastic Hearts, via the anthemic Everything has Gone (Wake Up) with its hook that compels you to yell along and the soft and whimsical Can't Forget Your Love which sounds a little like their compatriots Tiger Please (and I mean that as a compliment - I LOVE  Tiger Please) to the epic closer of Left Wing (and Right Wing Are Both Parts Of The Same Bird) every track is an almost perfect mix of driven head bangy bits, guitar synth washes, intelligent lyrics, up lifting choruses and some wonderful mellow moments.

My only real criticism is that I feel they could let go a little more on some of their heavier riff driven moments, especially on the song Tremble - I can't help feel that if they beefed up those moments a few more notches, in the way say Funeral For A Friend do in places, and kept the rest as they do already then they would have some real killer product on their hands. But I'm sure given a bit of time, a bit more experience and an outside producer that will come. After all The Effect are a young band at the start of their careers, and therefore, as good as they are, must still be viewed as a work in progress. And a quick word on the production, which the band did themselves, apart from the above point, they have done a fine job on the whole and should be praised for their efforts.

In short, a great debut from a band, that if there is any justice in the world are set for big things.

For fans of... Tiger Please, Muse, Funeral For A Friend, Lost Prophets.