#VAGABONDZREVIEW: ROUGH GRIND - DREAMCHASER

Rough Grind is one of the bands I recently explored, huge thanks to Inverse Records for keeping me in touch. As I mentioned in my earlier works it takes time for me to reply with confidence - yeah, that song rocks for me or sorry, not my cup of tea. With Rough Grind's new single, it was the immediate effect on my heavy metal soul and I shrieked eternally - hell yeah, these guys ROCK!

Rough Grind - Dreamchaser (Out NOW via Inverse Records)

To take you into account I would like to start sharing some facts of the band. Rough Grind was founded in 2011. Since the band released three EPs – Son of a Gun (2014), Four for the Road (2017) and Trouble or Nothing (2018). Last year Rough Grind released their debut album Pieces of Resistance and they are set to release the second record on 28 January 2022. The released albums have been well-received around the globe, getting airtime from radio stations in USA, Canada, UK and Germany, among others.

These facts sound impressive and well-deserved even making conclusion out of Dreamchaser single at the moment, the only song I heard. So I think it's time to give it a review!

The guitar entering riff is a pure damn hurricane! In my teen years I was totally into 80s music and I can surely spotlight those years' great impact on Dreamchaser and namely I hear Mötley Crue because their kinda "torn" riffs can implement the song with catchy and remarkable start what’s vital. The same Crue energy is saved by Rough Grind and even more emphasized by modern metal sound. Frankly speaking I missed those feelings of freedom and dignity of rock n' roll when put some hard rock/heavy metal to my headphones and it just makes me moving and headbanging.

The mixture of heavy guitars flavored with 80s shades rumbling though the firm and dynamic drums are totally intoxicating. Also I'd like to notice skillful use of artificial hammers splitting the riff that surely add up to the song's dynamics and the accurate bridge from the intro to first verse. I always appreciate in-detailed music writing and namely the bridges, intros and outros. This time the ringed guitar sound accomplished with the short lead guitar riff is the best way to join the part of the song.

Now it's time for me to catch another 80s feature and this time it's situated in vocals. To my mind, there's great similarity to Joe Elliot's (Def Leppard) vocals. I was always considered him to be one on the most remarkable vocalists in 80s hard rock party and the vocals style brought me serious flashback to long term listening to Def Leppard and playing Hysteria on my acoustic guitar. The mild hoarse in vocals is skillfully emphasized with muted guitar strums on the background put accent on the song dynamics.

Chorus, what a surge of adrenaline! The same intro riff repeats couple times and the feature I find so lively and vibrant is adding lead part to the main riff. But there's also calm moment in the song, making the main idea many-sided and versatile what's also essential to help concentrating on vocals mainly. I fond of them in Dreamchaser so much, principally when the drums and bass join the party - the vocals now become more dynamic and spirited.

Implementing more lead parts at the end of the chorus helps pointing out that Finnish melancholy I always adore. I would especially like to highlight the song outro that to my mind accomplished the single main idea with lively and energetic guitar melody perfectly suited for completing the dominating 80s influence. And there're more and more guitars and how I love it! More lead parts implied are just the best decision to make a proper ending for a cool song and it makes me put Dreamchaser on repeat...

After listening to such mind-blowing song, it's time to sum the things up. The guitars sound demonstrates the loaded version of Motley Crue-like riff with the band's own style of writing riff - it's totally intoxicating. The vocal skills are great and powerful what's vital for the metal genre. High level and skillfully done sound production can emphasize all modern metal and 80s sound palette. Prevailing over party spirit inherent to 80s, modern music heaviness and darkness still dominates in Dreamchaser and it's one of the features of modern Finnish music. Never mind the specific genre peculiarities you can always point the Finnish band out of others because of soft and mild melancholy shade. And that's why I find Finnish music unique.

Rough Grind promo picture by Petri Damsten

I will surely check out the earlier works of the band, because of this pure 80s energy suiting modern metal sound so perfectly. I'm looking forward to enjoying the upcoming Rough Grind album to review it as a whole but I can surely say that the start is so bright! Keep going!