The Den by All Taken

-
All Taken is a hard rock band out of Los Angeles, CA USA.  "The Den" is their latest release after a bit of a hiatus, and it comes with high intensity, a shuffling rhythm and soaring guitars.

When I initially played "The Den" for the first time, I was immediately very impressed by their high quality studio sound.  The drums are booming and clear, the guitars are crunching and fill the whole stereo landscape, the bass is active, punchy and can be easily recognized even while the guitars blast, and the vocals give me a strong impression of Dexter Holland from The Offspring.  What an incredible rock sound.

I LOVE how the song has such a strong intro.  It gives the song a strong identity.  After the drums and bass join the already soaring guitars, they all meld into a rhythm, then all of the soaring comes on with full intensity.  The guitar and bass are so busy and are tight through out all of the fast riffs.

One thing that caught my ear as a very cool addition was the tambourine hitting with the snare during the chorus, but also giving us a improvisational fill to finish out that chorus.  Very TASTY.

At about 2 minutes and 50 seconds in, following a super cool tight, rhythmic and riffing bridge, every band member builds from it to a climactic ending.

All Taken did an incredible job making a heavy rock song that leaves no space for repetition and boredom.

They are being added to the "Fight the Storm" playlist that accompanies this blog site.

Check them out on your favorite streamer using this SongWhip link.
https://songwhip.com/alltaken/the-den

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"The World is on Fire" - 2 song single by Titanosaur

-
 "The World is on Fire" is a 2-song single by Titanosaur that releases on June 23rd, 2023!  I am honored to be able to listen early and give you my reaction the best I can!  I normally don't review more than one song in a post, but in my opinion, Titanosaur is one of those deserving artists in the independent music scene that needs to be heard by as many ears as possible, so writing this flows easily. "The World is on Fire" starts calm with a lone guitar with effects, then BUSTS OUT in heavy full band metal power!  What a gigantic mix!  I can instantly hear the predators chasing their prey, eyeing it's victims with intensity.  I can feel the prehistoric landscape wildfires everywhere!  The guitars are doing everything in this tune!  Areas of heavy palm-muting.  Sections of no-chord riffing.  Instrumentals of gigantic rhythm guitars with a lead melody over the top.  I love the first verse where the drums and bass lead half way, then the guitars come in with a
Read more

"Same Stars" by Girl With a Hawk

-
 Girl With a Hawk is from Boston, Massechusetts USA.  "Same Stars" is a calm, reflective rock song with smooth, passionate melodic vocals that get soaked in another vocalist's harmonies during the chorus and occasionally in other areas as well.  She has an outstanding dynamic to her voice that fits nicely in the calm parts as well as the parts of the song where the strategic building of intensity hits its climax. The drums sound authentically live as if we were listening at a show...keeping the beat smoothly...not overdoing it...only doing what the song needs.  It takes a good ear to know what to play to fit the song's feel than to play unneeded fills, and this drummer's GOT IT! The guitars do a great job of melodically leading, even when underneath the vocals.  These guitars do an excellent job of building the song's atmosphere. The sound quality is on point for every instrument, with such a great mix. I'd have to say I'm more than impressed with this
Read more

Wolves in the Graveyard by This Side of Anarchy

-
 This Side of Anarchy is from Los Angeles, California USA, and "Wolves in the Graveyard" brings a high-energy mix between punk and metal in such a way I've never heard by anyone else. The song starts with fast-moving toms being joined by howling wolves, which couldn't fit this Halloween time of year better!  Soon, the bass, guitars and vocals join in simultaneously.  The verse gives me that eerie feeling of anxiety by all that's going on around me...the wolves pursuing...  "Watch out!  Wolves in the graveyard." The guitars are crisp and clear with distortion, sticking with the rhythm with palm mutes and open power chords.  The vocals are full of gravel, chanting and setting the atmosphere and telling the story while staying in key where appropriate. I'm very impressed with the drummer's creative use of tom-led rhythms throughout the song.  So many rhythms that aren't conventional!  It does an exceptional job of keeping the anxiety to a maximu
Read more