26 Mar 2023
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

Bad Schematics - EP Review: Keep Your Gods

28 Feb 2023 // A review by River Tucker

Bad Schematics have hit the road running with a small tour and a couple of promo videos made in support of their debut EP, Keep Your Gods. It’s a rip-roaring release somewhat influenced by early 2000 American Emo rock, embellished with touches of Nu-Metal and high-energy Alt Rock, which delivers a sound they can proudly call all their own.

Without mucking about this Palmerston North based band get right down to business with Carousel. This track could have come straight out of the US with its slightly derivative chord progressions and Caleb Hickmott’s prominent and youthful sounding vocals. His American twang provides an almost theatrical element slightly reminiscent of Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance. This four on the floor stonker has all the elements needed to cut right through and grab your attention.

With its medley of musical styles the next track, WAW2WMT, is another natural progression of genres taken from preceding decades. It even includes some components of 90's BritPop to pique your interest but is way more rock orientated. As the abbreviated name implies, What A Way To Waste My Time is all about angst and includes a good dash of chutzpah to get the message across.

Pilots or Passengers pursues a more conventional rock style but with the added benefit of subtle effects, precise stabs and a polyphonic melody on the keys to keep you fully engaged throughout. A pared back Emo-style pre chorus is a sterling touch and, as always, Daniel Braithwaite’s drumming is right on the money.

Saving the best till last, Kings and Queens (Feat. Koert Wegman) is the standout track by a long shot. Trent Fairhurst’s classic guitar riffs and excellent harmonics nicely compliment Caleb’s darker lyrics, although the lead vocals get a bit pitchy at times. Koert Wegman’s metal rapping towards the end heralds in an almost doom-like change that works exceptionally well. It’s a clinically executed track to close out what is a well-produced and highly listenable release.

Bad Schematics' EP probably won’t get the airtime it deserves. But that shouldn’t stop you from supporting them live or tracking down a copy of Keep Your Gods for your music collection.

Rating: ( 3 / 5 )
 

Releases

There are no releases to display for Bad Schematics.

Other Reviews By River Tucker

Gig Review #2: Homegrown 2023 @ Wellington Waterfront - 18/03/2023
21 Mar 2023 // by River Tucker
The weather gods must really love live music because they fully turned it on for the Jim Beam Homegrown music festival in Wellington last Saturday. Not only were the tunes absolutely fantastic, the crystal clear blue sky followed by a twinkling starry night set a magical scene for thousands of beautiful party people to enjoy some of New Zealand’s biggest bands performing across five stages on the capital’s spectacular waterfront.
Read More...
Gig Review: Melanie @ Snails, Palmerston North - 04/03/2023
07 Mar 2023 // by River Tucker
What else was there to do last Saturday night except get out and support some live bands at a local music venue, in this case an all ages gig with Feildings Best Dancers, Crying Club and Melanie at the legendary Snails in Palmerston North.Snails also doubles as an artist space and there’s a considerable amount of well-lit artwork on display for people to appreciate.
Read More...
Gig Review: Imperial Slave @ Castle 789, Palmerston North - 21/01/2023
23 Jan 2023 // by River Tucker
It was pretty balmy in Palmy last Saturday night at Castle 789, but the Summer heat didn’t deter people from wearing black, with nearly every major metal band represented on patches and T-shirts by a small but dedicated crowd of enthusiastic metalheads.Tribute band Meiniak kicked things off with an extended set of all the Pantera greats, nailing such crowd-pleasers as A New Level, 5 Minutes Alone, Drag The Waters and Walk.
Read More...
Enoch - Single/Video Review: Seasons
26 Dec 2022 // by River Tucker
Formed in 2017, Enoch is a five-piece metal band hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, who encapsulates everything that’s good about metal music. Well produced by Texas based Machine (Lamb of God, Clutch, Impending Doom), Seasons is Enoch’s fourth single and marks a refreshing step away from their nu metal roots.
Read More...
Newzerror - Single Review: You
08 Dec 2022 // by River Tucker
Newzerror is a new two-piece band hailing from a small town in Aotearoa New Zealand called Matamata. Anything but small, Rick and Dee’s sound on their debut single You smashes through the ceiling with some straight forward no-nonsense metal sure to get you up and moshing.
Read More...
All I Seek - Single Review: Envy
05 Aug 2022 // by River Tucker
More than just a progressive Metal band, All I Seek have coalesced many of the best Alt Metal styles around, including at times Melodic Death (with a slight Djent edge) into their rip-roaring third single, Envy.This massive four-minute track fills a gap in New Zealand’s current progressive Metal scene and the juxtaposition of the songs uplifting message, delivered during mid-winter, makes it a very well timed release.
Read More...
Pale Lady - Single Review: Never Satisfied
07 Apr 2022 // by River Tucker
2017 Battle Of The Bands national champions Pale Lady have hit another home run with their latest single; Never Satisfied. Contrary to the song title, you can tell these four young guys who hail from Wellington are having shit loads of fun playing this fantastic song.
Read More...
Slow Rage - Album Review: The Low-Down
14 Oct 2021 // by River Tucker
Every once in a while a release comes along that is just oozing with originality and that’s the case with Slow Rage’s debut album The Low-Down. Eleven tracks of pure musical goodness integrate a number of diverse styles that you cannot help but appreciate.
Read More...
View All Articles By River Tucker

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • BOY'S A LIAR PT. 2
    PinkPantheress And Ice Spice
  • FLOWERS
    Miley Cyrus
  • KILL BILL
    SZA
  • LAST NIGHT
    Morgan Wallen
  • DIE FOR YOU (REMIX)
    The Weeknd And Ariana Grande
  • SURE THING
    Miguel
  • PEOPLE
    Libianca
  • ESCAPISM.
    RAYE feat. 070 Shake
  • PLAYERS
    Coi Leray
  • CALM DOWN
    Rema And Selena Gomez
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem