State of Uncertainty hails from Chapel Hill, North Carolina and have played together for well over a year with their current lineup. So far, they’ve played various benefit concerts, bar gigs and small venues and have released their first album Murky Waters this summer which they hope will propel them forward in booking more shows and recording more albums. The album brings together many older sounds from the past into one cohesive rocking experience and its subject matter deals with vices and problems the band members have in their daily lives. The band’s sound is very Black Sabbath with some influences here and there from other early metal bands – count me in! Interestingly, the band’s singer was a rapper before he joined up, and that background comes into play in their final song “Devil's Play.”
Beginning with “General Greed” the band’s sound is raw and has very much a live energy. The guitars have a heavy, jutting rhythm and singing that’s comical in some parts. Some twisted laughing amongst the gravelly vocals comes later, reminiscent somewhere between Dave Mustaine and the lead singer of Molly Hatchet. Next up, is “S.O.U” the band’s acronym and musically it offers a lot of transitions, guitar effects and breaks, making for one hell of a dynamic song. I also thought the main guitar riff sounded like old Judas Priest. “Petty Hoes,” not to be confused with pantyhose, features a bouncy, blues-ish style. The cowbell present is always a welcomed percussion instrument in my book. The group’s overall structure and funny lyrics are quite entertaining, too. “Hyperaction” begins with a great, syrupy bass line and an equally great guitar riff – very catchy. The band’s style feels to me like a cross between Sabbath and Motörhead. I really liked how this one was musically written and the opening lines – “I don’t know what’s in your mind / I just know it can be refined / In this world there’s no recourse / Me to you is no remorse” perhaps suggests someone not of sound mind. Although later, “but there’s much work to be done” could hint at a ray of hope – where that hope lies, I don’t know. Anyway, I thought this song was one of the band’s best. “Lampe” tones things down with mellow and melodic bass lines, warm organ and warbly guitar playing. It’s a very curious song as it has many different parts to it and the lyrics are sung in German, which you don’t hear every day. How the next song’s introduction was mixed gave my ears a workout, as the bass lines to “Wolves” bounced back and forth in my headphones. This one was another interesting number as it features different tempos and change ups. It almost has an art rock/Jethro Tull quality about it. But then, also think of a mix of other artists and bands like Accept, Edgar Winter and Alice Cooper and you’ll get where I’m headed. The band’s last tune is “Devil’s Play/I Been Outside” which sets itself apart a bit in terms of how the singer delivers the lyrics in rap style and also how the song is formatted. The bands mixes sounds of grunge, early psych rock metal of the ‘70s and the post-punk/funk stylings of Red Hot Chili Peppers – quite an assortment. I thought this was another one of the band’s best off the album. From a technical point of view the band could be a tad tighter and a little more more in the pocket. That being said the band offers a good assortment of styles and structures within each song. There is a lot to appreciate here. Take a listen
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May 2024
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