Call of Sirens – Gaia (EP)
Release Date: 24th February 2023
Label: Self Released
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Genre: Alternative Rock
FFO: Flyleaf, Paramore, The Pretty Reckless, Wolf Alice, Royal Blood, Rush, Tool, Halestorm, Evanescence.
Review By: Mark Waight
It is always a truly special experience when you first hear something that is new, exciting, raw and that little bit different to anything you have ever heard before. Call of Sirens debut EP, Gaia, certainly brought back those memories for me, by transporting me right back to my early teens when I was listening to the Heavy Rock and NWOBHM bands of the late 70s early 80s for the very first time. Grassroots music is alive and kicking in 2023 and as good today as it ever was.
Hampshire based Call of Sirens is Leilani Hopuare (lyrics and vocals), Andy Bawden (guitar), Nick Karp (bass) and Connor Burt (drums). Their EP, Gaia, is inspired by Greek mythology and is the personification of earth being the mother of all life. The theme is the death and struggle of the feminine. The search for the balance of oneself with the world around us, and the abandonment of the world of man in favour of the mother.
The Monsters kicks things off nicely with a relentless pace that never really lets up throughout the song. This is more than aided by the awesomely catchy riff that Andy Bawden lets rip from his guitar. It’s retro, it’s current, it’s an absolute banger!
Kenopsia is a full-on, hard-hitting rock track. The drums of Connor Burt provide the ideal tempo for a tune with several smart changes of pace. The music and vocals blend gloriously to generate a dramatic and moody track with a razor-sharp edge.
A Stranger is a magical fusion between a cool funky psychedelic beat and an old school heavy metal riff that just works so brilliantly. Leilani’s clear and pure vocals are outstanding, with the higher notes creating some memorable moments that will stick in your mind for days.
Nick Karp provides a superb heavy bass undertone for final track Gravel Tree that combines well with lighter percussion and guitar phases to create a dark, gloomy atmosphere. The haunting vocals are a perfect fit.
These four tracks clearly showcase the amount of skill and craft that this up-and-coming young band have in their arsenal. I really hope the rock gods look upon Call of Sirens favourably in 2023 and that Gaia catapults them on to the future success that this amount of talent richly deserves. Keep up the hard work, guys, you rock!
(4.5 / 5)
