Review: Big Time Kill – 'Big Time Kill' EP

BIG TIME KILL
'Big Time Kill' EP
SELF-RELEASED

Boston, USA based duo Big Time Kill have set out to hit the industrial rock world hard and fast with their début self-titled EP. Blending new wave melodies with synthpop leads and nasty industrial beats and guitars, the band walk a fine line between pop sheen and grunge grit. It's a formula that will appeal to fans of The Faint, Killing Joke, Mindless Self Indulgence, and Nine Inch Nails. It's a style that should play well to both club audiences as well as on the road live.

They open with a big sing-along synth number in 'Hold On' with its pop hooks and slick new wave synths taking the lead. While 'Please' presents a more desperate and frantic sound that is spiky and fun. 'It's Nothing Personal' returns to more commercial territory with it's synthpop meets new wave core displaying a real knack for strong song writing. 'Are You Ready For Love?' returns to the harder but still hook laden waters of the first two numbers but broken down into a more straightforward approach. The EP is then rounded off by the jumpy electro meets synth rock of 'Gone' that presents the band's best soaring chorus to close proceedings.

The EP is nicely produced and mix. To such a high quality in fact that it easily matches anything on the Metropolis label. The songs aren't very densely layered, but they're not stripped back either. The band have the room to play around and experiment but they always retain an accessible structure to the tracks.

This is an impressive début from a duo that have a lot to offer and big ambitions. The songs are strong, commercially viable alternative rock with great and sometimes playful electronics throughout. There is a lot of potential here, so it will be worth keeping an eye out for their full-length début.  

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