This Debut Deserves Your Attention
Posted June 10, 2007
By KevinMcNeese_NRT, Staff Reviewer
The barrage of new rock acts hitting stores this year is pretty astonishing. Earlier this year, CCM reported that over 40 new rock acts are coming out by the end of the year. I don't care how much music you listen to, it's going to be a tough job to consume it all. Typically, quantity and quality don't play nice with each other, and what you get is a lot of sub-par releases trying to capture your attention with only a select few hitting the mark. Enter Fighting Instinct, whose debut project not only deserves your attention but crushes all other rock releases in its wake.
The debut release on Gotee Records (who seem to continually be pulling away from their hip-hop roots and embracing more of the rock acts) has the potential to become one of the best surprises of the year with radio friendly hits like "I Found Forever," "Back To You" and the energetic "You Don't Know."
The band, hailing from North Carolina, combines Southern roots and melodic sensibilities with a modern rock edge. Among their influences: classic rockers like Zeppelin and Hendrix, Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, and modern bands like Soundgarden and Foo Fighters. While their musical influences our founded in the mainstream world, their message contains something more. "[Our music is about] finding our way back to what's gotten us here, and not losing sight of that. That can mean not losing sight of life, music, faith, whatever." They sing about the call "of the great I Am" and crying out for more of God on "My Heart Cries Out."
Guitarist/vocalist TJ. Harris and drummer Dallas Farmer had played together for several years before they met up with bassist Jason Weekly in the Winston-Salem/Greensboro area. The trio (yep, there's only three of them) scored a publishing deal with EMI that lead to cutting some song demos in Memphis with producer Skidd Mills, who's resume includes killer projects for Saliva, Sister Hazel and Skillet. That led to the record deal and six weeks in the studio that resulted in one of the tightest rock releases I'll be listening to for quite awhile. View All Music And Book Reviews By KevinMcNeese_NRT | View KevinMcNeese_NRT's Profile
|
