Seek Irony – Tech N’ Roll (Album Review)

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Seek Irony is an Electronica Modern Rock band originally from Tel Aviv, Isreal. With a genre-bending sound like a hard-hitting Rock show grinding away in the middle of a beat heavy rave, Seek Irony moved their original sound to Austin, Texas to release their first album, titled Tech ‘N Roll, with California producer Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down). Although the album was originally sculpted in their own personal studio in Tel Aviv, the thousands of miles between the band and their producer proved too much to handle, and this is what prompted them to move to the US. Although singer Kfir Gov and former bassist Daniel Strosberg wrote and composed their independently released debut album, finally offered to the public on February 3, 2015, the move caused a separation from original band members and long time friends, so bandleader Kfir and brother and drummer Rom Gov searched for replacements. They completed the new line up with the local, Grammy nominated Alex “Sascha” Campbell on guitar, bassist Adam Donovan and pianist and electro wizard Mikael Oganes, who had worked previously as a live tech for acts like Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid.

To get an idea of the sound on Tech ‘N Roll, one has to stretch the definition of Modern Rock. Seek Irony has gathered the ingredients to brew their sound soup in the same cauldron where bands like Faith No More or Prodigy were boiled down. With a basic frame of standard Rock elements, ’70s Metal and Stoner Rock guitar riffing, the Gov brothers have integrated a big portion of rave-like beats into their music.

Starting off the album with the dual guitar/keyboard driven “She,” the energy dissipates a bit in the middle, although the verse and chorus work out beautifully with some fantastic Techno drum and guitar riffs. Next, the title track starts with a very promising verse, while the bearish, often repeated chorus tries to underline the motto of the album – the melting of Rock-n-Roll and Techno beats.

At this point, Tech ‘N Roll takes an about turn and begins to inspire. “Devil In Me,” also the first video, is driven by dirty Rock hard guitars and trance sounds with a great chorus. “Skin 2 Skin” reveals the aforementioned Faith No More influences from the early Mike Patton era and the sick, Jazzy, Prodigy-like loops and keyboards that grant the track a unique touch. “Low” has a grinding, distorted guitar riff and an earwig chorus with flavors of the genre groundbreakers Nine Inch Nails. In a similar vein, Seek Irony blasts the eardrums on the songs “When You Lie” and “Tragically Driven.” They make immediate fans with the crossover treasure and cocksure hit, “Running Towards the End Of the World,” with its awe inspiring guitar riffing. The Electronica really stands out on the pure rave track, “Ravelution (Push),” sprinkling in bits of influence from the Finnish band, Waltari, throughout the song. The album closer, “Head Above The Water,” is a ballad that ties the entire album up into a neat and tidy bow with a great piano melody reminiscent of melancholy acts like Zeromancer and Mesh.

With Tech n’ Roll, Seek Irony have created an ambitious debut album and solid first effort. The resulting record was well worth the time, effort and member changes, giving listeners a convincing, distinctive offering to the Electronica Modern Rock genre. Fans of the aforementioned bands above should take a chance on these Israelis and snatch up the album without hesitation. CrypticRock gives 4 out of 5 stars.

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