Greek-American blues rockers' debut album
From the explosive opening of ‘Lightning Crashing’ and it’s simple but effective riffing, it’s obvious that 4 Bitten have something special. Their timing couldn’t be more perfect, with the cross-continent explosion of new, young blues-rock bands making it big in the charts; just think of The Answer or Black Stone Cherry, and 4Bitten fit in easily to that group. Swerving from brash, screaming power in the same vein as Deep Purple or Whitesnake, to slow an’ easy moments, ‘No More Sins’ captures a band hitting on its signature sound. It’s still primitive and raw, but there are some moments where the whole vibe is just perfect.
Fingers crossed we’ll never have to read the phrase ‘fiery, female-fronted…’ when describing 4Bitten from this point on. Ok, so it’s technically accurate, but also so commonly used that it does the whole band a disservice. 4Bitten’s vocalist Fofi has more in common with Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, and Jean Millington than most singers on the live circuit today. David Coverdale is about to have a run for his money. She creates a great bluesy rock noise without either trying to sound like a bloke or sounding out of place in the genre. The soaring ‘Follow’ is a fantastic example of the band in perfect synch, balancing vocals and instruments brilliantly.
Critics will probably latch on to the band’s established and ‘classic’ sound remaining pretty standard throughout the album, but in this case it’s a blessing because the sound just doesn’t get old, there are always new variations on it. And the world can never have enough rock songs about how awesome rock is; just listen to ‘Rock n’ Roll Dream’. You could place money on that song becoming their anthem very quickly. But it’s the funky bass-led ‘Push It To The Limit’ that shows the first signs of more experimental strings to their metaphorical bow, even if it is a weak track overall, owing to the dodgier eighties influences.
4Bitten are obvious in their influences, but I’d struggle to name a band that hasn’t done the same at some point. Their first tentative steps in the UK to promote their debut record could prove a turning point, as the CD promises to translate to a live setting really well. In short, watch this space because this album is a strong start in a difficult genre.