8.5.00
Following in the footsteps of futuristic rock predecessors like Strapping Young Lad, Filter, Ultraspank, Gold Lives Underwater, Gravity Kills, Pitchshifter and so many others; gives new bands in the genre of electronically-influenced rock much to live up to. When East Coast rockers Ctoe came out with ‘Simple Things’ (School Cut Records), much of what was being thrown our way was rap-metal, hardcore, and this thing called “nu-metal” that no one seemed capable of putting a specific finger on.
How can a band make a breakthrough and have a presence amongst all that competition and labeling? Do a good job of combining the best elements of all of that into a unique sound, and call it your own. That is what Ctoe have done with ‘Simple Things’. The members of Ctoe are music fans themselves; fans of bands as fundamentally different from each other as possible. The band quote favorite albums from Jane’s Addiction, Prince, Faith No More, Led Zeppelin and The Who among others. The result of the music they make is bound to be complex enough to at least be interesting!
Tom Case (guitar/vocals) has the monumental task of being in the forefront and keeping the listeners standing at attention, while his band mates, Andy Fraiser (bass), DJ JB, Kevin Goss (guitar), and Mark Morrissey (drums/percussion) back him up with their own arsenal of talent. Ctoe ‘force feeds your poison’ (see the track called ‘Numb’) until you die a happy camper. Just remember to ask for seconds before your time comes.
Lesa Pence
– lesa@unearthed.com
