There’s a saying in the music business that any band that’s “made it” will tell you and can directly attribute to their ultimate success. After the talent (obviously), time, effort, money, touring, social media/web mastering, blatant promoting, networking and general whoring of your music, it oftentimes comes down to four little words: It’s Who You Know.
And so it is with the three-piece Australian band, Bricks. You see, we are inundated with hundreds of bands every month who submit their music to RR for consideration of coverage, reviews or to be our coveted Indie Band of The Week. There are 18 of us that work on RR and we listen to each and every submission that comes in. Some are immediately deleted (then we pour bleach in our ears) and some are “tabled” for future consideration, and some we contact right away.
Rob Ryles (Lead Vocals/Guitarist) for Bricks also just happens to be a writer for RockRevolt Magazine (full disclosure, people). He’s been here since the beginning and I’ve known him for at least five years when he was my intern at another publication. But up until two months ago, I NEVER knew the guy played in a band. Honest to God. So, when he put a few tracks from his band Bricks debut six song EP, Beasts Blood out there for us all to listen, we of course did. I honestly didn’t expect what I heard – which was one ass-pounding meld of all of my favorite genres: hardcore/metal/punk/alternative – all rolled into one. And I was not the only one who liked it. All of us agreed that Bricks rocked like hell and that we definitely would do an album review or something for sure.
Bricks‘ debut EP Beasts Blood dropped on October 24th and it’s gone all the way to #4 on the ReverbNation Punk charts. They are getting calls for gigs with bigger bands and venues are calling them because of their loyal fan base. And so it goes…it’s who you know? Well, YES…it is, but Bricks happens to be one kickass band.
Fernando and Rob formed Bricks one summer’s day back in 2009 “after a life-changing jam session of epic proportions.” They were a four-piece heavy metal act back then and frequented the usual run down of Australian bars. After a few member changes and a hiatus that almost killed them, Ryles became the vocalist/lyricist and they decided to cut back to a three piece band. Sometimes all of the right pieces need to fall into place for the right things to happen, and that move has seen Bricks skyrocket in 2013. They gig regularly and have worked extremely hard to try to bring Bricks to that next level with social media and the launch of their debut EP. It seems that they are well on their way and are already writing material for a second EP due out 2014.
They will melt your face off in a cornucopia of genre-bending that is brilliant. They generate so much sound with just three musicians: Rob Ryles (Vocals/Guitar), Benjamin Tarpey (Bass) and Fernando Castaneda (Drums). There is a reference in the album review of Beasts Blood that likens Castaneda to John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and I concur – trust me, I would have edited that shit right out if it wasn’t true – Bonham is my drum god! That kid is a POWERHOUSE drummer that drives this band to new heights. There are tasty riffs throughout and lyrically/vocally Ryles brings it with unique qualities on each track.
Just for the record, I was a punk girl when punk was punk; listening to The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Buzzcocks, etc. etc. before anyone knew who they were and probably since most of you were still an egg floating around in your mom’s ovaries and a sperm in your dad’s ball sack. So, trust me when I say that I love Bricks for all of the RIGHT reasons. They remind me of the gritty, underground bands that I’d go see in NYC, London, Paris and Atlanta when the punk scene was still cool (I know, it’s making a big resurgence and I could not be happier). Everyone has to start somewhere, and Bricks personifies an indie band with a unique sound that could go very far if given a break.
So, if you want to hear wants going on in the coolest bars in Australia then give a listen to Bricks, like them on Facebook, check out their new album below and get a copy today!
CONNECT WITH BRICKS (click on icons):
LISTEN TO BEASTS BLOOD HERE:
[bandcamp width=350 height=659 album=1763023859 size=large bgcol=333333 linkcol=e32c14]
By: Valerie King, Co-Founder/Editor in Chief
