by Matt Karpe
– Columnist —
The Sixxis are an American hard rock trio whose influences are stated to include Zeppelin, Muse and System Of A Down. It is a rather strange and diverse list, which is why this self-titled release is hard to fathom.
The Georgia natives know how to play the rockin’ riffs and slamming drums, and in opener “Believe”, you get to hear what The Sixxis are (mostly) all about. Vocalist/guitarist Vladdy Ishakov’s rasping yet melodic vocals flow well but an ineffective chorus puts a dampener on the early promise shown.
“Snake In The Grass” has some good drumming from Josh Baker, and the guitars and bass, the latter coming from Mark Golden gives an alternative metal feel. The strong vocals make this a better compiled song overall.
“I Wanted More” has a soothing stringed intro, and a long overdue chorus of decent proportions.
“She Only” is a song that doesn’t go anywhere and fails to flow whatsoever. It’s a filler song that The Sixxis cannot afford on an album with such a small matter of material.
There is a Russian version of “Believe,” which considering the English track didn’t set the world alight, is another thumbs down as you may as well just press the skip button.
Fortunately, the next three tracks are what save this record from disappearing into obscurity.
“Nowhere Close”, “Home Again” and “Farewell To Everything” are live recordings, and they sound huge. There are some good guitar solos, thunderous drumming and all in all just more emphatic than the studio tracks.
This introduction to The Sixxis is very much a mixed bag of the good, bad and very ugly. With the first four tracks, it sounds like a band struggling for an identity, yet when you hear the live stuff, you get a feel of what this band are really capable of.
Genre: Hard Rock
Band:
Vladdy Ishakov- Vocals/Guitar
Mark Golden- Bass
Josh Baker- Drums
Track Listing:
1. Believe
2. Snake In The Grass
3. I Wanted More
4. She Only
5. Believe (Russian Version)
6. Nowhere Close (Live)
7. Home Again (Live)
8. Farewell To Everything (Live)
Record Label: Self-Released
Website: www.thesixxis.com
Hardrock Haven Rating: 5/10
