Loco Tribe

LoCO TRiBe are a group that some might loosely say took the house that Korn built, knocked out a few walls renovated it and made it into something all their own. Moderately Jon Davis sounding lyrics at times flushed with frenzied riffs, booming low end and perceptive drums are what imprint themselves within this CD along with a thick permeating stench of aggression. Vocals in their melodic state sound very similar to Jon Davis of Korn, not necessarily in style as band vocalist Rob doesn't try to emulate him, it is rather just the sound and tone of his voice that is very similar to Davis's and this ends up making the music a bit more comfortable like a stranger with a vaguely familiar face. Vocally Rob tends to stray off through slight rap styled verses in which he doesn't necessarily flow, but shoots off the verses so rapidly they become somewhat of a verbal tornado absorbing the music into one collective whirlwind. A few agonized screams are sifted into the mix along with the occasional lulled spoken word flavored verses that usually end up becoming what could be described as the equivalent of a muscle car doing a brakestand and eventually letting off the brake causing the song to plunge forward with intense velocity. Good range and solid control with the odd smear of electronic effects and overdubs along with variation and experimentation highlight the vocals throughout this release and in turn provide for a pleasing auditory journey. Guitars growl within the music, attacking with an odd tuning that isn't excessively low or high, instead it seems very subtle as it skewers the listener with snarling riffs. Fairly straight forward playing is utilized with riff based verses and little embellishment fill wise in turn constructing a steady rhythm, but at times it can almost be too constrained leaving something to be desired. Bass rumbles with plunging hits like a spear into the listeners gut. A semi low tuning is implemented and a somewhat percussive playing style is used, not as outright as say Korn or the like, instead the notes are still rounded and clean, but almost become a mini drumkit in itself with a rapid fire thudding. Drums are tight, ample improvisation, fills and a tight snare are some of their lustrous qualities, good usage of roll's throughout the toms that are sometimes thunderous and sometimes just for extra flair end up charging the songs with an almost reckless feel that surprisingly never misses a beat. Intricate song structure and part changes are some of the highlights of the groups music, there's nice placement of fills and little details that shine out after multiple listens showing for sure that the band doesn't take a bare bones approach to song writing. This is an excellent EP indeed but it does suffer from a few cons, the most prevalent of which would be the lyrics. Rob's voice and style are impressive, very well rounded and the fact he doesn't limit himself are nice touches, but lyrically its very haphazard and loose, with verses that don't always fit and seem to negatively draw a bit from the overall power of the songs as they could be streamlined a little more. Not a terrible thing by no means, but the way they at times can feel almost strewn about the songs detracts from what could be a more dynamic voyage and possibly with a slight refining of them, the band could capitalize more on the immaculate shifting song structure, not too mention bump the intensity up to a vicious new level. Another small downside is the guitar's tuning/distortion, it is persistently very static-distortion laced and seems a bit fuzzy, where if it where a bit more downtuned or used a more chunky cleaner distortion the aggression factor of the groups music would be boosted through the roof, as the riffs are pleasing and already in place. Still though as a complete package the band exhibits great musical prowess and a refreshing take on a riff driven style of metalcore/rapcore that drips with angst. Lot's of talent and promise is shown by this group and their evolution as a band together will only help them create even bigger and brighter things, in turn making the band a surefire sleeper pick of the current indie crop as they do have the ability and talent to make their way to the top. LoCO TRiBe possess the power coupled with unspoiled anger and skill that captivates the listener with a unique form of sonic fury, just a little loosening of straight jackets is all this band needs to smooth things over to become less frantic and allow them to break free from their asylum of a local scene and terrorize the nation.