The Dead of Night

EkoTren has chosen the higher path of hard rock: not to be "total brutal" and have undecipherable lyrics with cookie monster backup vocals. Instead, they attempt (and for the most part succeed) to create an honest album comprised of blue collar riffs and observational lyrics. Let’s talk influences and similarities, shall we? This is the natural progression from something like Ill Nino or Chevelle, bands that don't quite have that hardened edge. Ultimately, Papa Roach fans will probably feel the most at home with barely insightful lyrics about interpersonal communication wrapped in a bombastic bass burrito.

At least the now obligatory orchestral intro isn't a standalone track but simply the beginning of "The End of The Day," a track that should make your mind up about the band within minutes. This isn't a negative, as the song rightly sums up the tendencies and complexities of this band, swaying from heavy vocals to heavier vocals while keeping drums and chugs consistent. The drum work is the star and the stripped down production leaves room only for metal. The bass is prevalent throughout the whole album, which is a nice touch for those who can pick that instrument out of the flurry.

EkoTren only has their name and lack of fans against them right now, but with a few bits of exposure, I’m confident this CD will find its way to plenty of suburban metal heads. Too tough for the Chiodos crowd, but just right for those wanting more out of the run-of-the-mill Trapt clones. The second track "Blackened Sky" starts with a Home Alone quote and ends with a breakdown reminiscent of Still Remains and other acts. "Light to Shine" and "Can't Stay" are attempts to get your girlfriend interested in this band, but she won't be. When Pantera wrote “This Love,” they did not compromise on the principles of heavy metal, but ended up attracting a larger female fan base with their raw passion. This is not the case with the majority of EkoTren’s material and having a name as odd as “EkoTren” doesn’t help much. No chick is getting that name inside of a tattoo heart.

We have a new generation of musicians, much like Avenged Sevenfold, who hit the middle sweet spot between the really heavy acts and the mall rockers, gathering followings from both camps plus creating new metal fans. The guys in the band look like cool dudes and the tough guy vibe doesn’t overcompensate for music that isn’t as brutal as it acts. For fans wanting more of the same, give it a listen, but nobody interested in reinvention or originality should proceed.