SOMA – Headed for the Zeros (2021)
As requested, here’s a very good album recorded in 1996 but never released due to record company politics, which finally saw the light of day at the end of last year via Escape Music.
It turns out that guitarist Stephen DeAcutis and singer/drummer Ed Collins already had recorded an album which via Cinderella’s bass player Eric Brittingham landed in the hands of A&R guru John Kalodner from Geffen Records. He contacted Collins who by then had moved on and had started writing songs with guitarist/vocalist Doug Henthorn.
Kalodner liked their material as well and brought in famed producer Kevin Shirley (Rush, Journey) while the band that now was called SOMA decided to add DeAcutis in to the line-up together with bass player Mark Mathews.
SOMA recorded their first album “Headed for the Zeros” at the famous Rumbo Recorders (where ‘Appetite For Destruction’ was recorded) and designer Hugh Syme (Aerosmith, Rush, et all) was asked to do the album cover design.
Although all these big names were involved for whatever reason the album never saw a release and disappeared into a warehouse gathering dust. A shame, as this is a solid platter.
Soma’s sound is pretty unique. It is melodic rock with progressive stints in there as well, but a clear line is somehow difficult to find. This band does not really sound like anybody else.
Fact is that the sound of the album is certainly not too old fashioned for 2021/2022 and it is also a plus that Soma is a group that follows their own lead with their melodic progressive songs. There’s some Rush into the songs, a bit of World Trade, some Soundgarden, a dash Journey more experimental proggy side, and more.
Songs like the pretty heavy title track ‘Headed For The Zeros’, the melodic ‘Overrated’ and ’40 Pages Run’, the dynamic ‘Freight Train’ are among the best cuts, while ‘Bad Sky’ delivers a more alternative sound similar to Soundgarden or Alice In Chains.
A really interesting band with a distinctive own sound and solid songs.
Highly Recommended
01 – Headed For The Zeros
02 – Overrated
03 – Pain Duplex
04 – 40 Pages Run
05 – Freight Train
06 – Bad Sky
07 – London Fog Quartet-
08 – Roger’s Theme
09 – Thinking
10 – Cylicyben Trixhead
11 – Sync
James Collins: Drums, Lead Vocals
Doug Henthorn: Guitar, Lead Vocals
Stephen DeAcutis: Guitar
Mark Mathews: Bass
Produced by Kevin Shirley
BUY
www.amazon.com/Headed-Zeros-Soma/dp/B09HSJ2QB2
