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The Scarlet Scourge: EP

Melodic Rock

4.0/5.0

Website Facebook
Independent/Unsigned
by Craig Hartranft,  03.19.2012

The Scarlet Scourge is an upstart rock band from Fairfield New Jersey. They offer their debut EP, five solid songs of entertaining melodic rock. As for the meaning of their name, check their website for its historical significance.

TSS likes to refer to their music, per their Facebook page, as experimental jam rock. I'm not sure about the experimental side. But listening to My Own Advice and especially Cantar y Bailar, I can hear how the band could get into a lengthy jam session, akin to a Dave Matthews or Grateful Dead thing, when playing live. The latter song also explores the depth of their excellent musicianship, and it simply sounds great.

But that can be said of this entire little disc. Here's some well-crafted melodic rock songs, with strong evidence of stylistic eclecticism and ingenuity, although I'm not ready to call it prog. For pure, ear-candy, radio-ready rock, the key cut here is Car Trouble. Arranged a different way, it could be hearty blues tune.

All in all, The Scarlet Scourge is a talented and creative band, which is into some very good, and different, melodic rock. Nice album art, too. Find this EP and buy it. Quite recommended.

The Scarlet Scourge is a talented and creative band, offering some fresh and entertaining melodic rock. Quite recommended. You can buy the album via CDBaby at their web site.

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By now it's old news. Everybody in the prog universe knows: Dream Theater got the band back together. Drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy returned to his Dream Theater family to celebrate their 40th ... [ Read More ]