Hull’s Of Allies have come on in leaps and bounds since I first reviewed their second EP ‘Fragments’ back in 2015. With a bunch of money from their million plus Spotify streams being put back into the band and a handful of Patreon contributors that believe in their work giving financial support, they’ve set about upping their game for album number 2 – ‘Are We Better Off’. By and large, that is precisely what they have done, transforming their hard-edged, hook-filled brand of alternative rock into a slickly produced, hard-hitting record brimming with potential.
‘Doublespeak’ opens proceedings with an intro loop of electronics and eerie voices expounding on the tarot before ‘An Echo (Or Nothing)’ kicks in with the OA signature sound. From the off there’s an added maturity as they take their time on this mid-tempo, slightly brooding heavy rocker. It’s like they’re warming up before things really kick in. Recent single ‘Off the Map’, finds the boys in familiar territory, aside from the eighties electronica feel underscoring much of the album to add a little depth, before they really hit their stride on the storming ‘Blossoms’; the massive soaring chorus backed by a blistering riff.
‘Beyond the Wave’ then demonstrates just how far they have come. Its got their classic sound and all the recognizable elements, but it’s all rolled into a brilliantly paced slice of class with a great hook, superb mid-section and pulsating finale, this will be a cracker on stage. It then segues into the slow boiling aggression of ‘Still Memory’; its powerful chorus is a great example of what they can do when they add a touch more power and step away from the familiar structures. They certainly have the talent and dedication to push their craft a little harder, so it’s great to see them play it a little less safe.
They also dig a little deeper on the powerful ‘Liminal Hearts’, which gathers more and more intensity as it progresses through atmospheric verses and a pulsating chorus to culminate in a stunning finale – superb. Other highlights include the single, ‘The Heirophant’, with its moody atmosphere, great riffs and killer hook. Then there’s the throbbing rhythms and thundering riffs of the title track, the simmering grind of ‘Big Mouth’ and the rare acoustic guitar of ‘Goodbye’, a left field ballad with a hint of anger – all quality.
All in all, it’s a classy second outing from Of Allies; repeated listens reveal more and more depth to the record as the hooks work their magic and you delve into the rich textures. With a number of top-drawer tunes and a level of quality that never dips, it’s great to see this hard-working band deliver. Can’t wait for album number 3!
9/10
‘Are We Better Off’ by Of Allies is out on December 13th
While thinking back on the records I’ve most enjoyed this year, it became obvious that I listen to rather a lot of rock. No shit! Not exactly a shock I know, given that I write for an alternative rock website and run one which, while embracing all kinds of music, has a heavy indie/rock slant. However, a lot of the hard rock/metal that I’ve been getting into as a result has not always been mainstream. Obviously, some things are unavoidably so, but having reviewed, shouted out and interviewed some very small bands I have inevitably played their records over and over, and, would you believe, their music stands up and has made a fan of me. So here goes the hard rocking releases I’ve most enjoyed this year.
Romans – – = + (Less is More)
Despite not being the best production wise, due to the cost of studio time and needing to record live, I really got into Romans’ hook laden riff heavy tunes. For a part-time band confined to the pub circuit they have made a very likeable record with a good positive vibe.
Halestorm – Into The Wild Life
I fell in love with this album quite recently and have had it on heavy rotation ever since. This is what hard rock should be about, badass riffing, wailing solos and immaculate full on vocals from the superb Lzzy Hale.
Iron Maiden – Book of Souls
OK, so Iron Maiden took Iron Maiden to the nth degree with the epic scale of this album, but its the best thing they’ve done since Seventh Son. They certainly sound reinvigorated and ‘Souls’ makes for an enjoyable listen with some really fresh and exciting moments.
Of Allies – Fragments EP
I have played their EP to death since I first reviewed it back in May and will readily admit to having a bit of a soft spot for the band, but that’s only because they are really rather good. Coolly delivered, hard edged and just radio-friendly enough, ‘Fragments’ ticks all the boxes.
Luna Sol – Blood Moon
This was another pleasant surprise that I got to review a few months back. These sinister tales of Rocky Mountain life are given hard stoner rock treatment at the hands of David Angstrom – heavy ass bass lines, blistering guitar breaks and hard driving riffage. Good record. Fucked up video.
Blind Wives – Recovery Positions EP
This was another EP that got a lot of extra plays when I came to interview the band, which is also part-time, but no less accomplished. Recovery Positions has some interesting well constructed tracks; there’s a strong indie/punk influence to their sound, but there are some good heavy riffs, and in Luke Pickering they have a versatile front man who plays some cool guitar and can sure carry a tune.
My earphones have been as busy as ever with the likes of Haybaby and Wolf Alice, but there’s been plenty of other stuff filling my personal airwaves. I’ve reviewed some great stuff for Already Heard, like Saint (the) Sinner, Aurora and This City Limits (See below for reviews), as well as the new Nitin Sawhney and Jeff Lynne’s ELO releases right here. It’s all great stuff but there’s a few other things topping my personal charts right now.
Dave Gahan & Soulsavers
It’s quite natural for stuff that I’m reviewing to get a fair few plays, but Dave’s latest has been on super heavy rotation ever since. The almost cinematic quality of this sweeping soundtrack to life is extremely impressive and its depth and texture nothing short of sublime. Gahan puts in a strong vocal performance throughout; the rough edge to his voice carrying an emotional weight that combines beautifully with the epically dark gospel feel. Killer.
The Cult
I’m not ashamed to admit that The Cult is my all time favourite band and tend to get played pretty much every week as it is. So when I decided to do my 10 reasons The Cult are awesome piece (https://hardpresseded.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/10-reasons-the-cult-are-awesome/) it was the perfect excuse to delve into their back catalogue even more. Electric/Peace got a fair few listens as did Love. They are such a unique band, despite wearing their influences on their sleeves; nobody else sounds like them and they defy classification. Billy Duffy’s guitar playing is always superb, conjuring up varied riffs and smoking solos, while Ian Astbury’s baritone is the most distinctive voice in rock. Here is something a little newer though, from the soundtrack to Gone In 60 Seconds, ‘Painted on my Heart’. Love ’em.
Of Allies
I’ve reviewed them, I’ve interviewed them, I’ve featured them in not one but two other pieces and yet I can’t stop listening to them. Both the first EP, ‘Tempers’, as well as its follow up, ‘Fragments’, are regular listens that I just never get tired of hearing. On Tempers we get the earworm that is ‘Ghosts’, the brooding ‘Our Decay’, the bombastic ‘In Screens’ with its guitar interplay and hook filled chorus, the ebb and flow of the atmospheric ‘In Stasis’ with its epic finale and the massive ‘Play Dead’. Fragments is equally triumphant with its slightly more radio friendly, but no less hard edge sound. The title track is pure quality, ‘One 19’ is a hook filled belter, ‘Old Bones’ is full of twists and turns, while ‘Tempers’ rocks seriously hard before the accomplished ‘Call It Home’. Basically, I cannot get enough of this band and am stoked that work on their debut LP has begun – look out for them in 2016.
This series of interviews began life as an investigation into the difficulties faced by young bands on the UK music scene. The intention was to produce an in depth article with some sound bites from the groups included in the Five British Rock Bands that Could Use a Break piece (https://hardpresseded.wordpress.com/2015/08/06/five-british-rock-bands-that-could-use-a-break/), but the interviews have proved so damn interesting that it seems only fair to publish them in full. Each band has a slightly different perspective, so although the questions are repeated each group’s responses are equally revelatory.
The third band interviewed was Of Allies, who were formed from the ashes of Lavellion and In:audium and immediately gelled into a slick unit with a highly accessible heavyweight sound, overflowing with memorable hooks; when you wake up with a band’s songs replaying in your head they must be doing something right! Instrumentally they are very strong, with pounding riffs aplenty, tight rhythms and interesting arrangements, and in vocalist Rich Nichols they have a talented front man, in spite of his reliance on Halls and Lockets! (Watch the making of ‘Fragments’ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oym9N_t–Qk and you’ll get it!).
There’s not a duff track over their two EPs and the material is such high quality that this band deserve to be massive. There’s just enough radio friendliness to demand airplay but more than enough intensity to give them a very hard edge; they seem to understand the role of a bass player better than a lot of bands! Despite inhabiting similar territory to other alternative rock acts that know how to write a hook, they have managed to develop a signature sound which sets them apart, giving them a freshness and an air of excitement.
Like the other interviewees, they all have full time jobs; Rich, Tom and Dan all working in education, while Nick runs a marketing company with his brother. Even though they face similar problems to Blind Wives and Romans, Of Allies seem to be a few steps ahead and should their next release build on the obvious talent on display in their first EPs they could well be ready to start breaking through. Here’s what they had to say:
What is making the music scene so difficult for new bands?
I think this is a combination of factors to do with the amount of bands emerging and a downturn in physical music sales. It’s not like in the old days when a band would be spotted by an A&R guy in a small club and be signed to a major label on the back of their talent alone. Labels in particular want to see physical evidence of projective success to reduce the risk of losing money and the scene is jam packed with bands trying to inch out ahead of the pack. This, combined with the cost associated with being in a band nowadays, can often mess with a band’s morale. It’s important to have someone, like a manager, who can ensure the band’s best interests are always at heart to avoid the pitfalls associated with the modern music industry.
How competitive is the current scene?
Short answer, very. There are a lot of really good bands emerging within the British rock scene at the moment and obviously everyone’s trying to achieve similar goals. Fortunately, the vibrancy of the scene has made it into somewhat of a community and I’ve found that bands these days are more eager to help each other out than ever before.
Do you see the internet as a positive aspect to life in a band/the scene?
Yes and no. Yes because it gives bands more control over the ability to market themselves and put themselves out there to a much wider audience than would have previously been possible. It also enables you to find out about and get in touch with other bands and venues more easily. The negative aspect is fairly obvious. The drastic incline in illegally downloaded music has heavily impacted the industry as a whole and individual bands at ground level. Something I’m staunchly against. Without the internet however, we certainly wouldn’t have got as far as we have done so far.
Do you have jobs? If so, how do you balance the time?
Yes, we all have full-time jobs. Balancing the time is very difficult and requires a great deal of commitment. With the band at the level it’s currently at, the workload is equivalent to a full-time job in itself, so the balancing act can be very tricky. I think our passion for music and Of Allies is something that drives the four of us to continue to see it as a primary focus.
How often do you rehearse?
We rehearse once a week when on a touring schedule and sometimes a bit more if we’re writing. We also have weekly band meetings to discuss the “business” aspect of things like booking gigs, making videos and doing interviews like this! Pizza is always involved.
How many gigs do you get a month? Is it difficult to get a gig or is it limited by other difficulties?
Generally we gig one or two times per month unless we have a tour. I don’t think it’s difficult to get a gig but it is difficult to get a good gig with a promoter who works as hard as you. Over time, you come to develop a network of like minded individuals who are all pulling in the same direction, who you know have the same work ethic as you. Over the years we’ve found more and more venues and promoters who think like this.
Are you making any money? If so, how?
Haha, yeah. We’re very lucky to be making money, but we certainly don’t take a salary from the band. Most of the money comes in through EP sales, merch and touring. Every penny we make goes back into touring costs, recording costs, video production, marketing and all the other costs associated with being in a band nowadays.
What do you think of streaming services?
I think they are a necessary evil. I personally am a bit old school and prefer to buy physical copies of music as I think the package including the artwork has more artistic value. There’s nothing better than a double gatefold Pink Floyd vinyl is there? I think when music is reduced to digital files some of the magic is lost. Having said that, the ability streaming services give you to reach wider audiences and keep people excited about new music is awesome. It’s easier to find out about new bands using things like Spotify and it’s cool how you can find a new band and immediately share it with a friend and they can share it with their friend, blah blah blah. I suppose it all depends on your level of musical snobbery. And it’s still better than just stealing it, innit?
How do you promote the band?
We all look at Nick and say “have you promoted the band recently?” He generally mentions something about stats and interaction, by which time the rest of us have entered into a debate on where we should order our pizzas from. Nick loves his stats. Generally we use all the usual social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We also have ofallies.com which serves as a hub for all of them. We also use more old school methods such as posters and flyers to promote a gig as we think there’s still value in that as Facebook invites can become white noise.
What are your short term and long term plans?
We’re currently in the process of beginning to write for a debut album, which we will be recording next year. We also have a few gigs lined up in Leeds, Camden and Hull. Long term, our primary focus is to promote the album and hopefully start to earn a living from making music!
It seems that the more involved I become with all things music, the more music becomes involved with me. A quick glance through my Twitter followers will reveal a number of bands, individual artists, fan clubs, clothes stores and fellow writers; and though not all the artists are to my taste, it seems only fair to reciprocate the interest by actually listening to what’s on offer and give a little publicity. Often, these bands are very much D.I.Y and are really struggling to make a breakthrough in the industry, despite their obvious talent; in other cases they are getting there but could still use more support. So here’s the latest crop of “Margraves” (bands or singers I have discovered through Twitter); you never know, it could be the one artist you’ve been waiting for…..or not…but if you don’t listen how will you know?
Black Sonic Revolver – Hard touring Indie Rock band with a strong Manchester influence; they’ve got a robust sound with a bit of groove bubbling under the surface. They have been building a good following, so expect bigger things when the new album drops in December.
Smoker – Authors of the Monchu project (two songs a month for a year), they have a trippy indie feel to them, with a very accomplished sound – interesting stuff. Check out free downloads here: http://www.smokermusic.com/audio
(I am) Warface – Eighties influenced electro rock with an industrial edge. Still at the demo stage but sounding very promising with some great hooks and already building a strong following online. If the forthcoming album is well produced it could make a few headlines.
The Cringe – These guys are not exactly new, nor are they entirely unheard of, especially when you find out they’ve been opening for Motley Crüe, but they followed me and I’d never heard of them so had to check them out. What’s on offer from the NYC based four-piece is good quality alternative rock with a grungy rock n’ roll feel. They already have four albums behind them so there’s plenty to get your teeth into.
The Danbury Lie – Slightly leftfield experimental indie folksters with some interesting guitar work on offer.
Of Allies – I have already actually featured these guys in a separate article on British Bands that could use a break, but as they have followed me it seems only fair to give them another mention, especially as they are a band I really believe in. They have a hard edged alternative metal sound with just enough in the melody department to make them radio friendly without sounding overtly commercial. As far as alternative rock/metal goes, they are as good as anyone else currently on the scene and their recent EP, Fragments, has plenty of quality tracks which really hold up. In a fair and just world they could go on to much bigger things, but given the current musical climate they’re going to have to work put in some serious hard work. I have previously shared something from Fragments, so here is an acoustic version of an earlier track, ‘Ghosts’, which is a good indication of what they’re capable of doing. Check their website for a free download ( http://ofallies.com/listen/).
I’ve already had more follows from other artists and bands so I will be covering them in the near future, watch this space.
In my capacity as a contributing writer for www.alreadyheard.com, an alternative rock website in the UK, I’ve been lucky enough to review some really interesting stuff, as well as some pathetically indulgent musically limited shit. Among the non-shit are a whole bunch of upcoming British bands suffering at the hard end of the music business, where lack of money and/or record company support means that a DIY philosophy is prerequisite. Not only are these bands writing their own songs, but they are often using crowdfunding (pledgemusic), producing themselves and in some cases doing their own marketing and booking their own gigs, which is all very admirable but is obviously not a sustainable model. Without significant record sales, top drawer live opportunities or some real financial backing from a record label, bands like these are living on borrowed time and their talents will be confined to an eternity on the pub circuit. Ok, I’m the first to admit that none of these guys are the finished article and the artistic direction of their videos leaves more than a little to be desired, but each one them has talent and all have potential to develop given the right support. Check them out below – with links 🙂
Romans – upbeat hard rock; very succinctly summed up on the “About” of their facebook page – “We like riffs”.
All the bands featured here, which is just the tip of the iceberg of the underground/independent scene, are available for streaming on Deezer (and probably Spotify but I couldn’t be arsed to troll their user unfriendly interface to see), where I also have an ever growing playlist of upcoming bands from around the world: http://www.deezer.com/playlist/1328065347
Hull’s Of Allies have come on in leaps and bounds since I first reviewed their second EP ‘Fragments’ back in 2015. With a bunch of money from their million plus Spotify streams being put back into the band and a handful of Patreon contributors that believe in their work giving financial support, they’ve set about upping their game for album number 2 – ‘Are We Better Off’. By and large, that is precisely what they have done, transforming their hard-edged, hook-filled brand of alternative rock into a slickly produced, hard-hitting record brimming with potential. 
Hard Pressed 