Motive Black – Auburn
Release Date: 10th February 2023
Label: AFM Records
Pre-Order/Pre-Save
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Nu-Metal, Industrial Metal.
FFO: Sumo Cyco, Living Dead Girl, Avril Lavigne, Eternal Psycho.
Review By: Mark Waight
Auburn is the excellent debut album from Motive Black, and one worth checking out by anyone who loves Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, whatever your genre of preference is.
This release is going to have wide appeal across the spectrum, as the clean vocals and catchy choruses will captivate and encourage the audience to participate and sing-along. Motive Black have created music with a hard and cutting edge, but at the same time they have generated a sound that will interest a broad following with its variety and cross genre themes.
Motive Black are Elana Justin (vocals) and Nick Rowe (guitar/bass) plus special guests Ray Luzier of Korn (drums), Marcos Curiel of P.O.D. (guitar on Broken) and Carla Harvey of Butcher Babies (vocals on Lift Me Up).
Lift Me Up kicks things off just as you’d hope, and is a hard-hitting opening track with a very heavy bass groove, monster riffs and aggressive vocals that totally hit the spot. Broken has a retro, 90s alternative feel to it but delivered with much, much more bite (it’s like Avril Lavigne on steroids). The chorus is super catchy and is sure to have you singing along. Let down is anything but, it punches you so hard and fast that you will feel each sonic blow as the vibes passes through your brain.
Bloodsport is a softer, more upbeat rock track with a more mainstream appeal that could do well in the wider music world and popular charts. Caged reignites the tougher, sharper edge to Motive Black’s music, but it still has a softer side to it by way of beautiful clear vocals.
Purge has an ice cool guitar riff overlaid onto an upbeat track that teases and tantalises, but never gets too heavy. On the other hand, high octane track Cellophane has a wicked punk hook fused with a heavy metal undertone that for me is the standout track on the album. The vocals are spot on with just the right amount of intensity and the guitars are totally on fire.
Bad Decision is pure industrial metal with an electro metal twist and a mighty fine song to boot, this shows that Motive Black have other strings to their bow. It also offers a brief insight into what may come from the band in the future. Fake is a traditional hard rock/heavy metal offering with more than a touch of pace, a killer psychedelic riff, punchy bass drums and aggressive vocals – great tune! Fight Alone has an old school groove blended with an almost gothic opening that quickly transcends into the familiar alternative theme that is never far away throughout this cracking debut album.
The album closes with the title track, Auburn, a softer track with haunting vocals which opens up other possibilities for Motive Black to explore in the future. Motive Black have certainly awakened my curiosity into what they could produce in their next albums. I would love to hear some more Industrial Metal inspired songs or maybe some deeper exploration into their softer side. Either way, Auburn is a fabulous album with some lovely surprises, hidden gems, and a pleasure to review. Great stuff, guys, you rock!
(4 / 5)
