Citing their influences as Taking Back Sunday, Fletcher, Brand New and even Rancid (?!), you may already be guessing the type of band Eight Lives Left are. That type of band needs no great introduction or cliched billing, so I’ll simply swerve the subject. But although my tone maybe somewhat downtrodden, the daggers aren’t completely out for the five piece. While the four tracks don’t ooze a great amount of charm or originality, they are all performed with just enough passion to believe the youngsters are serious about their business of making shouty music and all isn’t completely lost.
If this demo had arrived at on my doormat a year ago, it may of featured a more favorable opening paragraph, but the fact of the matter is this kind of music is ten a penny in the current climate. And because of this, bands have to really make something back breakingly good to really stir opinion of them to the types of levels that aren’t represented enough these days. The highlight here is the rawkus ‘Fight the Good Fight’, a stomping little number which could rouse even the most skeptical of crowds. Otherwise it is all as you may expect as opener ‘‘Cross my Heart and Hope you Die’ features some nice layering of vocals (Weather this was meant or not I’m not sure) and the tempestuous ‘So Long Miss Nightmare’ attempts to steer us in a new direction but just falls short of the mark. Final track ‘Head Up Face First’ once again shows promise, but never materialises into what you really want, although the screaming is actually quite well pitched and placed, and it isn’t often I am impressed by such things of late…
8 Lives Left show all the hallmarks of the textbook demo. It shows promise, without quite delivering, it has the edginess and rough corners of something not quite polished enough and the band play with bags of enthusiasm. I am not one to slag off unsigned artists and this is no different. If 8 Lives Left can try and corner their own sound and try and tidy up some loose ends, things could definitely happen for them. But for the moment it may help to go back to the drawing board.
Jay
www.8-lives-left.tk