THE MEGS – Awakening (2014)

* Fixed / No Cuts

After a full length CD and an EP released locally during the past 3 years, Italian hard rock quartet THE MEGS are presenting what is their international debut entitled “Awakening“, published by specialized label Pure Steel Records.

Consisting of Federico Travaglia on vocals and bass, Mattia Aldibeck on guitars and backing vocals, David Visin on guitars and backing vocals, and Manuel Mormina on drums, this straightforward rock n’ roll band are one that is not easily categorized into a particular genre of music.
At times they are pretty hard rockin’, other times they have almost a rock&pop feel with punch, akin late Eighties acts in sound and style.
The press release states D.A.D. is a good comparison and I won’t disagree but The Megs – what a strange name – experiment with a variety of grooves, hence you get up-tempo rockers, mid-paced numbers and fast takers all in one.
The vocals are clean and not ‘cat’ sleazin’, so comparisons with other lead vocalists are out of the question here. The musical layers, on the other hand, show a band that has carefully worked in order to build the desired harmonies that round the hooks and refrains.

The result is “Awakening”, an album clocking to something less than 40 minutes that has energy, attitude, a rebel feel but lots of poppy, easy melodies.
The CD opens with a mellow intro which transforms into a chunky bass line backed by drumming that give me the confidence that this is indeed a band with a hard rock musical background. This first track gives us a good taster of the variety The Megs have on offer as it alternates between solid powerful riffs and a well-executed lead section, all backing the energetic vocals without drawing too much attention from them.

For the following two tracks “Follow the White Rabbit” and “Rain of Sand” they add more catchiness to the rhythm especially on the former, while on the latter appears some DAD influences.
The creativity does not stop there with “Blackout” which is defiantly the sort of high energy I was expecting, vocally we hear singer Federico Travaglia move between hard rock towards a darker sound in places that reminds the Brit scene of 1985. Again, despite the variety, it is a really catchy tune that warranted a second play – definitely a good driving tune.

Another track worthy of a mention is “Take Me to Heaven” which in keeping with broad range this album offers could easily be compared to Britny Fox or Babylon A.D., with the big riffs and gravelly vocals typically of these acts with a touch of Gene Loves Jezebel.
Thinking a band could not get much more variety on an album I was surprised to hear “Apache” which has a Native American feel to it, but intertwined with heavy distorted guitars.
This brings to mind The Cult and their record ‘Ceremony’, and indeed this is another band to compare the sound of The Megs.

“Awakening” offers something fresh to enjoy through its 10 varied tracks. The Megs are very hard to categorise due to the sheer diversity of sounds and influences the album presented to me.
Some of the less memorable tracks did have something of an indie feel to them but interspersed between them are the aforementioned tracks, some real standout numbers that got the head nodding and are well worthy of another listen.
As said, The Megs does not play a specific genre, so if you want something different in this over-saturated scene, then “Awakening” is a recommended listen.

01 – What I Would Like
02 – Follow The White Rabbit
03 – Rain of Sand
04 – Blackout
05 – My Time
06 – Take Me to Heaven
07 – Become Nothing To Me
08 – Apache
09 – Govern Is To Believe
10 – Ink Flower

Federico Travaglia– Vocals, Bass
Mattia Aldibeck – Guitar, Vocals
David Visin – Guitar,Vocals
Manuel Mormina – Drums

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www.puresteel-publishing.com/releases/view/318/Awakening
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