Clay Soldiers
Review of “Life After Death,” their four song EP
Stu and Leon formed the band in 2020, after 20 years of friendship. After searching for a drummer, they found Pablo and released their first single, changing the trajectory of the band. They hit the Top 10 in Australia and started to get some press and attention here in the states. Not band for the first release!
Their stated goal is to bring people together with their music – for it to be a healing factor in a today’s unsettling times. To their credit, they’ve been involved in several benefits for Ukraine (they have close friends actively affected by the war) and aim to keep helping any way they can. Now that the lockdowns are over for most venues and gigs are coming back, they plan to tour and record more – taking advantage of every opportunity and taking nothing for granted, considering that they didn’t exist as a band just a few years ago.
Here’s a track-by-track review of the EP
Exonerate – First off, make sure you don’t have your monitors accidentally cranked all the way up when this song starts, because the bass riff will roll everything off your desk. This comes out swinging with a heavy riff that is part Alice in Chains, part Sabbath. The bulk of the tones lay low, leaving plenty of space of top for the vocals and harmonies. Nothing fancy here, and it doesn’t have to be. It works. The bass sets up the whole track nicely. Vocals remind us of that 90’s Seattle shouting-type anthem you’d hear at the Crocodile or the Tractor. Sections are broken up with some nice melodic changes, and the hook gets (effectively) pounded into your brain. This is a solid rock track.
Boat – This one picks up the pace from the 1st track, again leaning heavy on the lower tones and riffs. Again, production is solid and heavy for this straight-ahead rocker. The quicker pace and tones remind us a bit of Velvet Revolver. The syncopated vocals of the first verse work really well, especially in contrast with the flowing melody of the chorus. It’s easy to visualize this one being performed live with arms in the air by everyone in the venue. One of the things I really like about this track is that nobody is showing off – they’re keeping all the parts in line with what’s best for the song. There’s plenty of opportunities for killer riffs or fills, but nobody takes advantage of it. Sometimes, that’s all a song needs – just a kick-ass, straight-ahead presentation.
Drive it Home – This is the first song we heard, and it’s our favorite. Beautiful swirling guitar tones start the vibe, before it changes direction and to starts to swing a heavy groove and riff underneath the vocals. Stylistically it fits right in with the first two – but heavier. There’s a good consistency in their writing, arrangement, and production. The chorus stands out more on this track than the previous two – the vocalist is featuring more of his abilities here, and the swirling effect on his vocals before the bridge is a nice touch. This is a much bigger endeavor than the first two songs, the band is exploring more of their potential in this 5:26, than the previous two that clock in at less than three minutes each. This is the track that highlights them.
Ghost – This one continues in the theme of Drive it Home, showing a more vulnerable and sophisticated side of the band compared to the first two tracks. Don’t get me wrong, Exonerate and Boat both work very well – they’re great club rockers. But Drive it Home and Ghost are more theatrical, more arena, more visual. The tempo and dynamics of Ghost set it apart from the previous three. They expand their tonality and feel with this track, and continue to expand their vocal and melody work.
This is a solid EP for a new band. They’ve got simple, straight-ahead rockers (which every band needs to perfect) and are showing signs of growth with more expansive work. They know what they’re strengths are, and they’re finding the proper ways to grow them. They fit right in with the grunge era (we hope they get a chance to play Seattle) and we hope their following continues to grow, it’s always great to see bands come together organically – as they have – and rise to greatness. We wish them the best.