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Ishtar - The Enemy Within

07 May 2005 // A review by simone_ishtar
Review by Robstar 1, taken from www.therockfactory.net
thanks Rob and rock on Cerebral Vortex!

Quote:

Heres my take on 'Enemy within'

On first listening to this song it just blows your socks off as soon as you start listening to it. The bass groove is bloody catchy as, Dave's tribal like drumming comes in which leads into Simon's legato tapping motif. I think thats the real hook in the song. It really drags the listener in. Gets you wondering "what are these going to do next" sort of thing.

When Mel's voice comes in I kinda was expecting a Ronnie Dio type thing to happen but instead we get a sultry tenor thing going on. I found that very cool. As much as I like that whole 80's 7 octave vocal range, better to leave that stuff in the 80's. Plus Mel's Sexier then Ronnie anywayz!

This is just my opinion but I feel that there is just the right amount of playing in the song. The absense of a guitar solo (well, more or less) is an unexpected inovation as the song appears not to need one. Dave's orchestral influences really shows. Theres some pretty technical rythyms and fills going on in there.
Was that greg on the bass? It's a bummer he's left the band. I'm sure he could play bass licks the same as any guitarist in NZ.

Last but certainly not least I'd like to comment on the blurb on amplifier:

"Essentially Ishtar doing a Van Halen meets Tadpole number"
Personally I think it's more like Dokken meets Tadpole. That tapping run sounds more like George Lynch than EVH. Thats not a bad thing though, I personally prefer Dokken over Van Halen.
 

About Ishtar

Ishtar is a band moniker for Transgendered Guitar Goddess Simone Whitlow’s musical outlet over the last decade. A Hard Rock group based out of Auckland, Ishtar is Musically cinematic, mixing stadium-esque riffs, big hooks and often disparate elements into their songwriting style. Ishtar’s music draws comparisons to bands like Led Zeppelin, Queen, Van Halen, Kansas, Styx, Iron Maiden, Nightwish and Dream Theater, to name a few.

Ishtar have had numerous highlights including playing to a packed out Aotea Square during New Years & releasing 2 EPs (South of Sanity (2006) and the internet only release Ambigram (2007). They scored airplay on numerous indie and student Rock stations across NZ, featured on a Tsunami charity CD 'Reconstruction' & filmed a yet to be released Video for their song 'South of Sanity'

The band has seen numerous incarnations. Mk 1, Featuring Simone (then Simon) on guitars also consisted of Angel & Johnny Walker (A Beautiful Chaos, vocals and drums) and Warren Keene on Bass. This incarnation was a proggy affair also with elements of Black Sabbath and hair metal. In Mk 3, Simone was joined by Mel Wright (vocals), Dave Cannon (drums) and Jamie Denton (bass) This version of the band forged the Ishtar sound and also recorded the bulk of Ishtar’s material. Collaborative and still heavy but a more commercial, rock orientated approach, the band crossed the line from Metal to Rock, while also indulging their musicality beyond that typical of Rock bands of the day. In 2007, just prior to folding Ishtar Mk3 (at this point Mel, Dave, Simone and bassist Matt Farley) filmed a video for their song ‘South Of Sanity’ since disregarded due to the fact Simone featured on it while still ‘Simon’.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Ishtar

Releases

South Of Sanity
Year: 2006
Type: EP

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Ishtar - Review in Missing Link- Feb 2006
22 Mar 2006 // by simone_ishtar
Text of our review is as follows... Thanks Missing link magazine!
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