band - Horizontal Orange 5.12.07 review of "For the Lovers of Sights and Sounds"
-Randy Mallett, BANNEDPROMOTIONS.com
In the days that rock radio is cluttered with bands that sound the same,
and all of the young bands claiming a new blend of metal, I'm always
ready to hear something fresh in the genre. That is just what I got when
I listened to the new offering from Horizontal Orange. The new cd blends
over the top-yet melodic vocals with tremendous screams, along with a
thundering beat (an extremely tight rhythm section) and some smokin'
guitar work. Usually when you get local music you can expect a bit lower
quality in sound, not completely, but there are generally some audio shortcomings involved. That is not the case with this cd, as it blows 90% of other local band's recordings right out of the water. Kudos to Jesse at Cannon Sound.
"For the Lovers of Sights and Sounds" is a blistering effort that helps define the sound that IS Horizontal Orange. At least a gear ahead of anything they've done in the past - be careful, they may be heading to your hometown soon. The style and inventiveness of the band plows through with energy and magnetism, each songs screams with urgency and captivating style. The bottom line here is these boys can kick into high gear with enough anger that'll force your girlfriend to say she'll walk home instead. This is the total package of musical expression and it drives their ideas and sound home. All of the nine tunes are good here and none seem to stand out above the rest, with the possible exception of the first track 'You Gotta Mingle with the People Baby'. The cd also features, without a doubt, the single most weirdest and coolest intro to any metal song from a local band that I've ever heard (on track four, 'Annie's Got a Gun').
An enthusiastic performance shows the way metal is supposed to be played rather than following the masters, as so many "copy cat" bands have done in the past. If you're not sure whether or not you like metal, you may want to start with "For the Lovers of Sights and Sounds." It's fresh, different, and represents the scene quite nicely. A great introduction to a band on the rise. Exciting and energetic beyond the norm.
Horizontal Orange is;
Brian McMillin/vocals
Jonathan Stevens/drums
Josh Smith/guitar
Jarrod McMillin/guitar
Country/bass
