The Cruel Knives' 'Side One' - EP Review

Earlier this year, after more than a year of dormancy after the departure of frontman Aaron Buchanan in October 2015, Heaven's Basement announced that they were no more. As someone who had been a fan of the band since almost the very beginning, this was very sad news. While I had been a fan of rock and metal for some time before first hearing anything by Heaven's Basement, they were one of the first 'new' rock bands I discovered in my mid-teens and they, along with a few other bands, felt like part of 'my' generation of rock. Sadly most of these bands are now no more, but it was exciting for a time to discover a new wave of classic rock-inspired bands coming through when my love for the genre was really developing. While I never saw the original line-up live, I saw what became the band's most famous line-up live six times between 2011 and 2015 and two of those gigs in particular really stand out as being some of the best I have seen in small venues. While the end of Heaven's Basement was sad, it was not exactly a surprise either. The band's sound had changed over the years - from 1980s-inspired rock on the self-titled debut EP to a more modernised rock sound on the band's only album Filthy Empire - and it seemed that guitarist Sid Glover wanted to modernise his songwriting style further. As a result, the same announcement that sealed Heaven's Basement fate also gave birth to The Cruel Knives, which saw Glover and Rob Ellershaw (Heaven's Basement's bassist since 2009) deciding stick together, along with new frontman Tom Harris and drummer Al Junior, to start again under a new moniker. Harris, Glover, and Ellershaw; along with Heaven's Basement drummer Chris Rivers; performed a couple of secret shows towards the end of 2016 supporting The Pretty Reckless, and many assumed this would be the new line-up of Heaven's Basement going forward, but this was not to be the case. I am not sure if it was Rivers' departure that led to the name change/re-birth, or whether the band always intended to start again, but re-branding as The Cruel Knives seems to have been the right move as the band's material is quite different to that found in the Heaven's Basement canon. Side One, the band's debut EP, is made up of five songs that represent the direction Glover and Ellershaw are now heading in and was funded by a successful crowdfunding campaign. For a lover of classic rock, and the Heaven's Basement of old, the sound on Side One was a bit of a shock. While this is still 'rock' music, the dirty bluesy riffs and powerful vocals of old are largely gone to be replaced with a slicker, poppier sound. If I am honest, I am not sure this EP will ever really be to my taste, but that is not to say that there are no good songs here and going in with an open mind is highly recommended.

The EP opens with The World We Were Sold, a riff-heavy rocker that is the closest thing hear to Heaven's Basement's sound. Glover has always been a great riff writer, and this song is no different with a fast-paced guitar pattern that drives the entire song. Harris, while a strong singer in his own right, lacks the raw power of Heaven's Basement's two main frontmen and instead opts for a slightly higher-pitched delivery that works melodically but is less hard-hitting than the song probably needs. This song was released online on the day The Cruel Knives were launched, and it definitely seems like a bridge between old and new. The chorus is a strong moment, which makes the most of Harris' more melodic vocal delivery, and the twisted guitar solo from Glover is different from his classic rock-inspired past but works well in the song's context. Itch opens with a snaking bassline riff from Ellershaw which Harris sings over in his slightly thin style which gives the song a slightly modern indie rock feel - at least at first. Things do get heavier throughout however, and Glover does launch into a meaty riff which then leads into a punchy chorus with some catchy wordless vocal sections. Ellershaw continues to dominate throughout however, especially during the verses which really shows his skills as a player. The song really lets go towards the end, with a frantic hard section that draws the song to a close. Kill the Messenger opens with a slightly atmospheric intro that has layers of effects-drenched guitar and Harris' naked and somewhat fragile vocal performance. When the song gets going however it turns into an enjoyable rocker but this is a song which I feel could have benefited from a ballsier vocal delivery. One the one hand I do like Harris as a singer, and he can really let rip when the moment takes him, but on the other hand I feel his voice is often a little fragile for Glover's riffing. Glover has always worked with really strong frontmen, and I am not sure that Harris really falls into that category. Squeeze is easily the weak link on the EP for me, and attempts a more lighter hearted rock sound with Harris' perpetually high vocals and slightly funky overall feel. This is the sort of song that would probably work if done by a band like The Struts, who have that slightly quirky personality, but when done by The Cruel Knives just feels a little forced. There is certainly no dirt under the nails of this song, and sticks out on an EP that generally hits pretty hard. The Promised Land is the EP's closing number and is probably my favourite number here with a dirty slide guitar intro and a great bass groove throughout. There are certainly shades of the old Heaven's Basement sound here, but adapted well to make great use of Harris' higher voice. The chorus is an instantly catchy one, with some excellent tremolo guitar playing underneath the vocals, and the musicianship throughout is strong. I feel that this is the song where the sound The Cruel Knives are attempting to pursue comes together the best, and I hope to see more of this going forward. Overall, Side One is a good start from a new band that are going to have the break out of the shadow of Heaven's Basement. It is hard for fans of that band's work, especially the band's early work, to not be slightly disappointed with the lighter overall feel of the EP, but there are definitely more high points than low ones here and I will be interested to see where they go from here.

The self-released EP was released on 28th July 2017. Below is the band's promotional sound clip for The World We Were Sold.