Drogo - NTMA

Drogo

NTMA
self-released; 2015

3.4 out of 5

By Ted Rogen
​

The four-piece DROGO band comprised of Tom Clarke (vocals/guitar), Charlie Booth (bass), Liam Fearfield (guitar) and Ben Green (drums) formed in late 2014 and recently released a three-song EP entitled NTMA which gives us a taste of what they have been up to. 

As it turns out DROGO is a straightforward hard rock/metal band with slight deviations that don’t require a whole lot of explanation. The guitars are distorted, the drums are loud and the bass does what a bass does in most metal bands and provides the low-end so the high-end distortion of the guitar doesn't overwhelm you. 

The three songs all have an underlying hard rock vibe. They kick things off with “Past Forgotten” which has a bit of a ‘80s vibe. It’s hard to pinpoint but it’s there and definitely noticeable on the anthemic chorus. The band is dynamic, on point and likes to keep the energy level high. It’s not a genre turning song by any stretch of the imagination but does showcase some solid songwriting. 

“Never Take Me Alive” comes out of the gate rocking in almost a Rage Against The Machine type of way. About halfway through the band goes into a breakdown section revolving around clean guitar and vocals. Like most breakdowns it has to find a way to build back up. They find their way back mostly due to the drumming and they explode for the remainder of the song. 

“Weightless” starts off sounding like Jimi Hendrix. It’s a bluesy riff played with a good amount of attitude. The bluesy/hard rock sounded ok but with a short EP like this you don’t want to be sending out mixed messages. 

DROGO seem to be stuck in the same boat most bands within their first year are stuck in. They wear their influences on their sleeve and have yet to find a distinct sound. The good news is that they have talent and know how to deliver. This EP is simply too short and the band has not been around long enough to say any absolute truths. DROGO falls into a category of wait and see.

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