BRING YOU
".Well?:. Does anyone remember the good old days before 'emo' became a bad word? Nowadays, describing something as 'emo' is the social equivalent of insulting their mother, but there was a time, back in the late 90's, before the word was hijacked by whining over privileged teenagers, where 'emo' rock meant well constructed, intelligent music that contained words longer than two syllables and forced the listener to actually think a bit. Which leads us to Age of Reason.
Very reminiscent of the creators of this old-school emo rock, Liberty 37, AOR is fuzzed up stadium rock with a conscience, combining mighty riffs and growly vocals into some epic tour-de-force rock tracks. Very American, very quiet-to-loud-to-quiet verse choruses and very modern sounding, this isn't an album that's going to surprise anyone with innovation and ingenuity, its just a solid kick ass rock n roll album with more than half a brain and a booming rhythm section.
Influences seem to shine through and disappear as quickly as they came throughout the album, with a glimmer of Soundgarden here, a splash of Metallica there and even a bit of 'Nurse'-era Therapy? cropping up, all combining into some nice little semi-retro songs like the opener 'Public Property' or the anthemic 'Killing Time'.
On the downside (and, being Voltcase, we have to find a downside!), there does seem to be a lack of awareness in certain songs about the mood being created - there are vocal lines that sound like they came straight out of an Iron Maiden song, accompanied by music more suited to the darkest days of grunge, but that really is minor point and was probably intentional anyway. And a bit of a mix up in the track order to add some variation wouldn't go amiss.
Overall? Where did it all go wrong, 'emo'? Listen to AOR and find out how it should be done - highly recommended chunkie rock n roll!"
Reviewed by VM @ www. voltcase.co.uk
".Age of Reason have put together another gem this two track ep is packed with lots of adrenaline and with a mixture of metal crushed with rock both in a perfect fusion, The first track " ICU " the use of effects in these track sound great with the concept of the tune Intensive care, the power coming from the guitars are giving the tune its deep metal feel with thumping drums to punch the rhythms into place. The second track " One Thousand Miles " starts of with a more up tempo rock feel with a melodic guitar lick and hard rock banging beats the vocal strenth on this track has to be rated very high as its dynamics are one with the tune, this EP has head banging potential excellent stuff. ROCK STARS
ICU ep - Review by T.Halpin
www.musicreveiw.com
RANK: ****** (6/6)
".One Small Act Of Defiance
There aren’t many new bands out there who when the send me their latest EP or Album that I instantly think these guys have something new and awe inspiring, but Hastings based Age Of Reason have captured my imagination with their debut album ‘One Small Act Of Defiance’.
The band have been described as sounding like Queens of the Stoneage meets The Manics meets Audioslave and the like. However, I think the band have that unique quality that is hard to find with many of the new bands of today and that’s their own sound.
One thing that is instantly noticeable when you first put on the album is the voice of frontman Andrew Shaw, who comes across as cross between Ian Astbury and Bono, a very eclectic mix I know but if you listen its definitely there.
The album itself covers a wide section of tempo and mood changes and varying musical styles, but definitely no fillers here, it's all-good stuff.
Things get underway with the ‘Public Property’, a song about the tabloid press and their invasion into the peoples private lives. This is a great opener, a crunching mood ridden track that highlights those similarities between Shaw and Astbury.
Things continue with the enigmatic ‘Perfect You’, a real dark effort this one, mainly because it was written about the death of a friend of frontman Shaw, who died in car crash, a real powerhouse of a track.
The album just doesn’t get better with each listen it evolves, as the mood ridden tones of ‘How Do You Live’ and the heavy bass ridden beat of the excellent ‘Killing Time’ are unleashed on the listener.
Other highlights of the album have to be funk ridden heavy beat of ‘Stone Scissors Paper’, the unashamedly dark ‘Revolting Beast’, the hard edged rocker ‘Angelfire’, and the amazing ‘Crushed’. But, track of the album for me has to be ‘Liberation’. This really does encapsulate the whole vibe of the band for me. It's rocky, it's moody, it's just superb.
This is one band to watch out for as they make a break for the big time in 2007.
Mayfair Mall Fanzine
www.themayfairmallzine.com
".Without a doubt, here we have a rising band between all the similar sounding bands, because this is a very original sounding rockband. AGE OF REASON deliver something special, although for the regular melodic rock fans they might sound too experimental. Nevertheless, for the mainstream rock fans this band might be the just
what they are looking for. Listen for yourself."
8.2 out of 10" - Strutter Zine
".Their sound is anchored by thumping drum rhythms, metaphorically heavy lyrics, swirling riffs and gravelly vocals that you'd expect from more traditional alternative acts such as Metallica. Age of Reason are an industrial hair metal act with a taste for the anthem, whether its the fast-paced 'Liberation', the dark swinger 'How Do You Live', the fuzzy Public Property or the brutal rhythm of 'Revolting Beast'. And their ornate lyrics and bassey sound should appeal to anyone who appreciates the atmospheric and head-nodding leanings and exalted themes of progressive metal."
Hastings Observer Group
".Angsty Goth tinged Hastings band with a basic sound and an angry attitude. Like a very heavy, very sullen Manics."
6 out of 10 - Classic Rock
Complete self-expression, self-produced, self-recorded, self-distributed, self-manufactured 100% organic, integrity-intact rock'n'roll.
Age Of Reason
Buy the Age Of Reason album now!
