EP Review: New Ink

London-based kiwi hard rockers Tokyo Rock Machine’s latest EP New Ink offers four tracks of uncompromising full blown guitar rock, with songs that are full of well-structured riffs leading to hard driven verses furnished with strong vocal lines that build towards glorious choruses full of power chords and explosive rhythms. Each song just bursts with pop in the mouth crunchy guitar grinds from Sam Halen all set to the sharpest of drum beats from Waka the Drummer, and strapping vocal work from the appropriately named lead singer Kevi Metal.

The attack of the guitars smash you through the first track Deepest Cuts and it lifts into a chorus full of tension and power that leads to verses spotted with fitting profanity. The title track New Ink has a heavier guitar sound with a potent urging vocal that grabs you by the throat, there is also a very nice guitar solo from axeman Sam.

Simulate You kicks off with a killer riff and then stomps through a rhythmic trip and a very melodically sung verse and chorus. Another heavy laden guitar mechanically propels you through the last track The War You Didn’t See which is another cracking rock stomp that has a great kick between verse and chorus, a song that best showcases their sound as it has that extra dynamic feel that suits their strengths perfectly.

Overall the tight rock sound is aggressive and authoritative, especially when it’s played loud, which of course is the only way.