Great to hear from the awesome and versatile Swerve City! These guys are bringing us a new EP launch soon, which you’ll see noted elsewhere on this site. From it I am reviewing focus single Avalanche.

We start off with a nicely up-tempo (but not frenetically so) driving some great guitar picking. Anchored by a bassline that’s straight out of the text book of how to bass like a bad-ass, we get the intent immediately. Vocals kick in with a rock-orientated tenor vocal delivering some seriously thought out melody. A chorus that is memorable and contains some deep, poignant lyrics, elevates it further and ensures you’re going to have a live fave for the future in this track.

Without giving too much of a spoiler you can expect a surprise twist into heavier turf, around two thirds of the way through. Vocally the metallers roar is applied with impressively tactical restraint in the amount of it. It’s impressive in that the restraint actually makes it all the more effective. With a teased almost death metal hook dropped in as a middle eight too, the band reminds us where they can take us if they feel inclined to. I like that touch.

There’s a lyric video that’s accompanying the track. It’s very professionally filmed, and is most definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto. Snow scenes, some great, smooth drone camera-work, amazing scenery. It’s out on the 11th October, same day as the EP, so check it out that day.

The musicianship is immense as ever, vocals are as always versatile and powerful. Overall this track is compelling listening for anyone into the kind of music under the latter part of the Grunge scene, through nu-metal and into the post nu-metal world of today. Bands that can swing between a number of previously rigid genres are either ridiculous or sublime (unless they’re Sublime, a-ha ha ha). Swerve City are not ridiculous.

This should be a shoo-in for The Rock, Hauraki and the student and regional stations. Great work again from the guys. 11th October – lock it in Eddie.