11

JAZZY

When you're introduced to a band and quoted that they're a 'Jazz Metal Fusion' band you're not alone in scratching your head a little bit as to what exactly that entails. Trepalium are just that though, they blend crushing riffs with saxophone solos and much more - and it bloody works! The band have already got quite a decent following back in their native France, and started to gain some serious attention in the UK when Gojira took them on tour a few years ago. Indeed the raucous second track on the EPDamballa's Voodoo Doll features Gojira front man Joseph Duplantier and Matthieu Metzger from label mates Klone. The band sit amongst good company then, and on the evidence of this new record, Voodoo Moonshine, the strong backing is more than justified.

Carrying on in much the same fashion as the rest of their discography the band are not afraid to showcase their eclectic side. The opening track and lead single from the EP is the perfect little package to describe exactly what Trepalium sound like. It opens with a bit of piano, saxophone and a drum beat which really gives it a swing vibe before you are launched into a ridiculously groovy and heavy riff - a riff which is so catchy you'd have to be devoid of any human feeling for it not to be stuck in your head for hours. As the midway point of the track hits there is a reintroduction of some of the jazzier elements as you suddenly feel like you're jiving in prohibition era USA. They've been able to bring all of these elements together and create a sound which is both unique and interesting - instead of focussing on one aspect too much or too little it feels like Trepalium just go where the music takes them - a huge compliment considering it is probably far more calculated than that.

Another key aspect of the EP which makes it so good are the track lengths. As mad as this sounds, with the style of music they've adopted there is only so far they can go before the tracks start to sound the same. With that in mind, Trepalium have kept the six tracks brilliantly concise, so rather than tiring you out, you end up desperate to hear more. With the fact that their exposure is beginning to increase in the UK, it is likely that Voodoo Moonshine will serve as a gateway for new fans to explore the rest of the band's music. An excellent EP and band then, if only everyone had the balls to deliver something as different as this.