Meet Alloy, the Greenville Neo-Rockers
“Black and White,” album cover art by Alloy.
I had the pleasure of getting to see Alloy perform live in Dallas, TX opening for Black Stone Cherry. There were two other bands who played before they came out, and Black Stone Cherry brought the house down, as expected, but in terms of live performance (of the relatively unknown opening bands), Alloy really stood out to me. I spoke with Dave Meyer (their rhythm guitarist) after their set, and he was kind enough to give me a copy of their CD, Black and White, and so now I am reviewing it. The first thing that leaps out at you when you watch them perform is: “They have two drummers?! What is that?!” But they don’t disappoint, so I don’t question their methods. So without further ado, I give you: Black and White.
Assessment
I give the album, Black and White by Alloy an 8.5 out of 10. I enjoyed it, I enjoyed hearing them perform it live, and it definitely plays to my personal musical preferences, however, I had to deduct some for the fact that calling this an album is a little misleading; with only five tracks, it’s really more of a demo (albeit a very professionally produced demo). There is a lot to like in this effort, although there some areas that could be even better (and given what I can gather from the attitudes of the band members I did get to interact with, I think they definitely will be better).
Bottom Line Up Front
This band calls what they do “rock.” Sure, you can call it that. But their heavy blues driven instrumentals with the strained, distorted vocals really sound to me to be more in the vein of nu-metal, a la Shinedown, Staind, Soil, etc., which, to me, is a plus (I like those bands a lot). So, I call what they do “neo-rock,” as it represents a departure from the Nickelback, Collective Soul, Daughtry concept that the term “rock” evokes to me.
Criticisms
Black and White, as I mentioned earlier, is a spruced up demo; not an album. The tracks on it are good, but there are only five of them. Also, while they’ve mastered a very appealing melodic metal kind of sound, they would do well to seek to expand their palate at this point. I always push rock bands that I like to be a little heavier; probably because I’m a closeted metal head, but that having been said, perhaps throw in a couple of fast songs with some screams? Also, I know that every band has a certain creative process, but maybe come up with a song or two that are based around a riff that the rhythm guitarist, or one of the drummers brings in? Just some thoughts.
Highlights
Where to begin? Great guitar solos. Competent drummers. The lead vocal not only cuts a good recording, but also draws in the crowd when singing live. A great, edgy, bluesy sound. the lyrics are outstanding: ”How can you fully understand the answer, if you never bothered to ask the question?” “If you aren’t a seeker of truth, then you are truly lost.“ ”You can only lead by example, or your not really leading at all.” Really great stuff. Their best song, to my mind, is definitely Switch, which, incidentally, is also their heaviest song. Of their songs, it is the most rhythmically adventurous, and their mastering engineer took the time to bring out very cool effects for the track. Another great thing about the song is the ongoing experiment with audio-texture throughout. They let the body of the sound shift constantly, in order to fully explore the initial musical idea (the rhythmic, polyphonic riff brought in by the rhythm guitar).
Conclusion – Black and White by Alloy Assessed
This album, though short, was well worth a listen, and this is a great band to hear live. This is an excellent band that has the potential to be a great one if they’re willing to push themselves out of their comfort zone a little bit. If you are a fan of hard rock or nu-metal, then, chances are, Alloy will be right up your alley.
Alloy, of Greenville, TX Releases Neo-Rock Debut
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