Saturday 23 September 2017

Sun Rider - III (EP Review)


Release date: July 14th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

III – Tracklisting

1.Intro 01:11
2.Call of the Mountain 05:13
3.Exodus of the Firetitans 06:00
4.Supercell Thunderstorm 08:47

Members

Mark Stevens - Guitar/Vocals
Michael Philippo - Vocals
Gert-Jan Kruijthoff - Guitar
Giel van Arkel - Bass
Erik Reppel - Drums

Review

Dutch Stoner Rockers Sun Rider return with their new EP – III – and it's a great collection of hard-rocking stoner based songs. With the band playing a more heavier style of Stoner Rock compared to their last album.

III clocks in around 21 minutes and it never outstays it's welcome with a bombastic style of great vocals and fantastic riffs. Call Of The Mountain opens the album on highly confident form with the band opting for a familiar stoner rock vibe and classic hard rock sound. Sun Rider do veer into Heavy Metal territory at times but it gives III a more meaner and angrier sound.

Exodus Of The Firetitans opens with a more blues rock vibe before the band settle once again into their stoner rock identity. The song is very fast-paced with the heavy metal style vocals being one of the main strengths of the EP.

The final song – Supercell Thunderstorm – should have been the standout song on the EP and it does start really well. With the band playing non-stop heavy riffs that have quite a soulful groove to them. However the song comes unstuck in the middle as the song loses focus and very repetitive at times. That's not to say it's a bad song. It isn't. I found more enjoyment from the other songs on the EP.

Overall, III will no doubt please Sun Rider's dedicated fanbase and proves Sunrider will hopefully be around for a long time to come.

Words by Steve Howe

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