RAGINPIT MAGAZINE

EkoTren - Light the Fire
CD Reased 2008

Tracklist:
1. Light the Fire
2. Paper Thin
3. Become
4. The Tables Have Turned
5. Tranquilized
6. Nothing Left
7. Falling
8. Death Blanket
9. Point of View
10. Needed You More
11. Chupacabra

EkoTren signed with Blind Prophecy Records in 2007 after being together for 7 years. Under the direction of acclaimed producer Paul Trust they put together their first full length CD. Light the Fire, with its 11 songs, showcases EkoTren’s signature style.

As I began to listen to this CD I was reminded of so many metal bands I had heard before, but then gradually, a distinct edge crept in. Something that set this band aside with a distinct quality they can call their own.

Light the Fire starts out with an opening sound which must have come from a movie, but I am not sure about that. It gives the song some roots for the metal to grow with. The guitar work in this short, but heavy song has a wide range of styles which is quite interesting. In fact, the guitar work is one of the things that makes this band different than most within their genre as is demonstrated in "Paper Thin."

Up to this point I was convinced that the vocals were all the same. Enter "Become," where a totally different vocal sound is heard showing off great harmonies which makes this song stand out.

"The Tables Have Turned" took me back to thinking that this band sounded like all the others, but about seven-eighths of the way through the song the vocalist did it to me again. "How could anyone hold a note that long?" was the question that entered my mind.

Mellow guitar riffs leading to grungy dips edged with vocal harmonies that ease the hard metal is how "Tranquilized" begins. That is until the vocals and guitars plunge, headlong into the metal abyss. Yes, these guys can hit hard!

"Nothing Left" seemed pretty mundane, but then I listened to the lyrics. "OUCH!" It is a sad song, but it made me laugh when I heard that long drawn out OUCH. "There's nothing left but time" brought me back to reality. Nice lyrics guys!

Excellent drum work with double bass pedal action (and if it isn't, kudos to the drummer!) makes "Death Blanket" a song you want to bang your hands on the steering wheel to while driving your car to some faraway place. Don't tell me you don't do that.

The drums and bass guitar are highlighted in "Point of View" giving the perfect backdrop for the versatile vocals heard in this high impact tune.

The opening guitar work in "Needed You More" is reminiscent of earlier rock/metal goliaths. Later in the song, once again the unique style of EkoTren becomes apparent.

"Falling" takes you to get to the edge and back again encompassing all of the vocal highs and lows heard before as well as very melodic, razor sharp guitar and bass.

The animalistic jungle sounds at the beginning of "Chupacabra" lead nicely into the now very familiar vocals. Guitar bass and drums all blend very neatly in this tune.

The highlights of this CD for me were "Become," "Tranquilized," and "Nothing Left."

Now I know that most rate using bottles or shots of Jack Daniels, but my personal preference is tequila. So just to be different I use the "Shots of Patron' method for rating my bands' music.

I give Light the Fire 4 and a half out of 5 Shots of Patron. Nice job, guys!

http://raginpit.ning.com/profile/EkoTren