steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Riddle of Steel

"Burn" CD-EP

Ascetic Records

Genres: rock, indie rock

Ascetic Records
5248 Bancroft #B
St. Louis, MO 63109

Apr 14 - 20 2003

From St. Louis, MO comes a hard-hitting rock trio by the name of Riddle Of Steel.  If you dig good ol' no-holds-barred rock music, then the Burn EP might be a worthy purchase.

"#1 Son" is a powerful, energetic rock epic that will appeal to anyone looking for something to jump around to.  It's reminiscent of the short-lived rock outfit Lucy's Fur Coat.  "So Young" also has a fun, powerful sound.  Fortunately, there are no duds to ruin the EP's flow.

Riddle Of Steel is vibrant and energetic, with a spirited rock attitude.  They have nice songwriting on their side, with some really good melodies prominent in certain tracks - be warned though: this is not "pop" at all.  The recording catches their energy really well, and it almost sounds like a live show.  However, not all of the songs are ultra-melodic, and some listeners may find themselves slightly unsatisfied if pop hooks are their game.

Overall, this is a very good EP that bodes well for the band's newly released debut full-length.

83%

Fun Fact: Riddle of Steel member Jimmy Vavak has actually appeared briefly in a Girls Gone Wild video.

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 6 songs, distributed by the label, released 2001]