Singlecast’s self-titled CD is loaded with impressive hard rock songs that consist of fine melodic vocal belting, piercing guitar phrases, and a rhythm section with plenty of chunk. Keeping their music well structured and melodic as well as hard driving is what makes this trio’s debut so much fun to listen to.
The band open their debut with “Running To You,” a drum driven number that finds Jason Nute adding a little extra something to his fills, giving more texture to the skin smacking that what’s usually found in this genre. Paul Mangiaratti’s vocal delivery is large, anthem-like belting yet smooth as Jack Daniels. His sustains just glide with a pure sonic grace. He makes it impossible to not get hooked on the song.
“We Fall In Your Light” gives Mangiaratti a chance to show what he can do in a down tempo mode. His vocal swagger fills in the space quite well while his arcing guitar phrase spearheads this number with true rock and roll power. By the end of track two it’s clear that Singlecast is another band with something unusual to offer. There isn’t a wasted note among their slower and faster sections. Everything is played with a beautiful economy of sound.
This band simply knows how to make a song sound good. Mangiaratti‘s persistently piercing guitar phrase makes “To Stay Here” a quick, determined journey through an inviting sounds cape. The sonic texture created by the bass and drum overtones is superb and listening to Mangiaratti belt out his voice and press out his phrase over it is a treat for the ears.
“The Way I Was” jumps out of the gate with a galloping groove. The rhythm section is particularly snappy here, and the rhythm guitar work above it is playfully aware of its interesting interval of notes. Switching to a more up tempo feeling, Mangiaratti pulls the band fearlessly into a hard rock landscape. These boys play like they’re running headlong into a wild adventure, not caring what the outcome is, as long as they have fun and sound good doing it.
“Simple Solution,” aside from being a catchy, rhythm guitar riff fest, is a punchy, plucky number that pushes its way forward with admirable force. These three have swagger and they know how to use it to make their song rock. Mangiaratti’s powerhouse guitar phrase announces its freewheeling presence with a great tone in its gliding switches, making the song a two prong melodic attack with only one guitar.
“Today” has a bumpy, bulbous groove that builds a great pattern for the follow up guitar phrase to race over. The instrumental portion of this number rocks right out with fiber and style. The wide, sweeping, anthem like vocals erupt, and it’s another shining moment among many for Singlecast.
“Say You Will” makes the most of the Singlecast penchant for jangling rhythm guitar over bulbous rhythm section grooves. This one moves along at an embraceable clip, with a groove and hooky chorus built for radio play. Add in Mangiaratti’s empowered, emphatic vocal expressions, and Singlecast has something that jumps right out at you that you cannot ignore.
“Holy Water” gets an inner darkness from guitar and bass tones. These boys means business here. Hard charging guitar chords and quick fibrous bass guitar lines give it all a badass feeling while their somewhat lighter chorus feels nice and lifted, carrying the listener into the light after a brief fling with the darkness. Nute drums like a man possessed and Ian Cariolo, as ever, wields his bass guitar like an eloquent light saber.
The trio give a little attitude on “Don’t Know Who You Are” and that works wonders at giving this tune a gigantic arc. During the chorus, the listener can feel this song swooping down with the monster force of Rodan. The trio swiftly return to a more peaceful glide with a twitchy guitar line that intrigues with its structure textures.
“Mexico” is a fierce journey song. You can feel it taking you somewhere as it travels through darkness and other foreboding tones. Its instrumental portion is gripping, with a muscular rhythm section being pushy as hell and the guitar phrase as electrifying as a live wire on a wet pavement.
The trio close out with “Never Coming Down,” a wild number with bracing guitar antics and a wide ranging sound powered by a never ending, revolving beat. This one lurches around with furious overdrive in the instrumentation and in its smooth overlord vocal bursts.
Singlecast is onto something big. Their music is engaging, unique, and infused with a larger than life power in every song. Their music on this debut CD make it very easy to picture them on stage in large arenas and major music festivals. Rock on.
