3 Dec 2024
UsernamePassword

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

Saurian - EP Review: Octopedal Rock Unit

30 Oct 2023 // A review by Peter K Malthus

Dunedin's Saurian have just released Octopedal Rock Unit, a five-song collection of rock & roll that's fun and full of melody, but also ballsy and thunderous. Saurian released the entirely self-produced album Brooding in 2020, having formed in 2015. This latest EP is a slick and punchy follow-up.

Drawing influence from "Nirvana, The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Soundgarden", Saurian have refined that input into a sound that also made me think of The Angels, The Stooges, and MC5. Drumming that's tight and solid, perfectly tasty without being unnecessarily flashy. Big fat bass that's locked in nicely. Guitars with a suitably muscular grunt. Rich, beefy vocals with power for days. The name Octopedal Rock Unit is inspired by the fact that "it takes 8 feet to kick this much ass", and to be fair, a decent amount of ass gets kicked here.

Wayne Kerr is the opening track, a proud middle-fingered salute to haters of loud guitars. Gets my vote. It also has a new official lyric video which has a fun format. Fra-gee-lay is a raucous lament, telling the all-too-relatable tale of having a parcel damaged by a delivery driver, and includes a guitar solo so very good that it gets an official announcement. Ian Astbury of The Cult came to mind when I heard the third track, Gobstopper, and I love The Cult, so I was pretty stoked with this track. Loads of nice guitar moments in this one too. Get Forked is the shortest track at 1 minute 40 and is a punky riot about forklift operator certification. Nice. Followed by a track that's positively epic by comparison at 4 minutes 37, Sheep's Clothing is also the EP's darkest track, a song of betrayal and caution. It also has an utterly epic guitar solo, fittingly saved to be the final one of the EP.

This is the kind of music that quickly gets a venue pumping. This music will get people dancing, because let's face it, most people can't withstand an ass-kicking from 8 feet at the same time. Crank this EP whenever and wherever really good loud rock & roll is required.

 

About Saurian

In 2015, the musical landscape of Dunedin, experienced a seismic shift as Saurian emerged, destined to be more than just a band—it was a sonic revolution. Navigating the twists and turns of musical evolution, Karl Brinsdon, the vocal and guitar maestro; Logan Wichman, the foundation on bass; and Josh Tuiavii, the rhythmic pulse on drums. A notable (temporary) hiatus by rhythm guitarist, Cameron Ellis, led to the arrival of the extraordinary Kat Haque, proving that even temporary members must meet the gold standard.

Now, about the sonic elixir that is Saurian. Picture this: the raw power of Guns N' Roses, the gritty intensity of Soundgarden, the rebellious spirit of Nirvana, and the flamboyance of The Darkness—all rolled into one. Yes, it's as majestic as it sounds. Fast forward to 2023, etched into musical history as the year Saurian gifted the mortal world with Octopedal Rock Unit, an EP that set out to prove that rock is far from dead. The lead single Sheep’s Clothing achieved international radio play while Gobstopper proved to be a tune so irresistible that it racked up over 10,000 Spotify streams. Not that we're keeping count...

Now, let's talk about the spectacle that is a Saurian live show. We provide an arena rock show at the pub around the corner, high energy experiences that leave audiences

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Saurian

Releases

Bled Dry
Year: 2024
Type: EP
Octopedal Rock Unit
Year: 2023
Type: EP
Brooding
Year: 2020
Type: Album

Other Reviews By Peter K Malthus

Lavender - EP Review: Types Of Infatuation
29 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Types Of Infatuation is the name and the theme of the debut EP from Tamaki Makaurau based Lavender, who has been songwriting and performing from a young age, and whose style has developed into a well-crafted blend of indie folk-pop and alt-rock. Lavender has performed at many high profile events over the past few years, and if this EP is anything to go by, looks well set to go on too much bigger things again.
Read More...
Dylan Kay - EP Review: (I Could) Watch You Forever
29 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Dylan Kay is a seasoned player, having begun 35 years ago, and having been teaching for the last 25 of them, including setting up what is now Auckland's biggest guitar school, in 2012. Originally from the U.
Read More...
Star Chart - EP Review: White Girl Whining
26 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
White Girl Whining is the sophomore EP from Tamaki Makaurau-based Star Chart, a project created and fronted by Chrissie Hart, multi-talented multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire. After an impressive career of touring the world playing on cruise ships, in hotels, and as a session musician, she returned to her hometown to finally start recording some original music that she'd been quietly working on since high school.
Read More...
CAITLIN - EP Review: Legacy
22 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Legacy is the latest in an impressive list of releases from Otautahi-based CAITLIN, an EP comprised of her last three singles and one previously unreleased track, Attention. The four songs presented here amply demonstrate her growth and maturing as an artist and songwriter, as she examines the emotions involved in some deeply personal experiences, at times laying herself bare with rawness and honesty.
Read More...
Patients - Album Review: Homemade Pills
19 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Homemade Pills is a new album by Patients, one of the projects of Christchurch's Aeneas Jones. As well as fronting heavy rockers PhatSak and performing with Chickenyard and When I Was Sexy, Aeneas drew together the collective Patients to play and record this latest effort.
Read More...
Appertain - EP Review: Sideways
29 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Auckland based Appertain consists of Adam Strang and David Hector, and between the two of them, they conjure up a nice big fat rock sound, "with powerful riffs and soulful lyrics". October 10th saw the release of their debut EP, Sideways, and I had the pleasure of reviewing it.
Read More...
Electric Tapestry - EP Review: Warship Across
09 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Warship Across is the third EP since their first in 2021 for Wellington-based Electric Tapestry. There is a large and diverse list of musical influences that have gone into making the Electric Tapestry sound.
Read More...
Gig Review: Jan Hellriegel @ The Piano, Christchurch - 04/10/2024
06 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
It's always a treat to get to go see a show at Christchurch's beautiful The Piano, and sit in its stunning auditorium. Unfortunately, I arrived slightly late due to some teenage hijinks on the home front, so I missed the start of Steffany Beck's set.
Read More...
View All Articles By Peter K Malthus

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • APT.
    ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
    Gracie Abrams
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • SAILOR SONG
    Gigi Perez
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
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