Aries seems to be a band formed with a pretty clear intention: bring back the heavy riffs, piercing vocals and almighty guitar solos of the 80s. They have achieved this with the best possible results in their new song ‘The Road(One Way)’. The road is a rocking song with memorable melodies, and a great song to play while on a long drive of contemplation. There is a clear touch of modern rock throughout the song, especially in the chorus that reminds you that rock music is alive and well.
The moment you hear “The Road” you are transported back to the good old days of Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen and Axl Rose. There aren’t too many bands that can pull of this sound nowadays, and Aries definitely does a great job of it.
The riffs will get you headbanging away in no time, as will the catchy chorus. I was very impressed by the use of synth keyboards in the mid section. They added a bit of depth to the song overall as synths are not very common in rock music unless it’s Electronic Rock music. The lyrics and theme of the song are your standard rock fare of the outlaw rock n’ roller, but after listening to the other tracks by Aries, their seasoned professionalism shines through.
For anyone that may say this band sounds like an 80’s band reborn, “The Roads” isn’t really a 80s rip off, but more like a recollection of the time through the mind of a modern day rocker. The guitar Sean employed has the heavy -yet -smooth distortion that has become very popular nowadays. Rob Bradley’s voice really comes out well in the mix, towering over the instruments and delivering a powerful performance. It is his voice that is probably the most recognizable sound of the band which is a general trait of a lead vocalists.
The guitars sound great and Sean Rhodes strums with enough finesse and emotion that can keep a live audience standing on their feet long enough to move into the next song with ease. Every rock band needs a strong guitarist to complement the experience. There is a segment of work where the guitar notes are layered multiple times and harmonized very cohesively providing a strong and cool effect!
The rhythm section of Andy Ham and Tim Slack was pretty tight, but the drums could have been mixed a bit better. It seems to be a bit too boomy and the cymbals don’t quite cut through the mix. Overall, the mix did sound a bit too bassy, but that is really a personal preference more than anything.
Overall I’d say that Aries is a stellar band and this song pretty much epitomizes their music making approach. These guys are going to be around for quite a long time if they continue to innovate and set new trends for good old rock n’ roll fun.
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How to find Aries
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/aries_rockus
Web: www.AriesRocks.com
Facebook:www.facebook.com/AriesHardRock
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARIES_ROCKS
BIO
Aries began in the fall of 2008 when Rob Bradley decided to form a band to revive some of the sounds that music seems to be missing these days….razor sharp, arena-ready riffs, powerful hard rock/heavy metal vocals, and a solid rhythm to back it up.
Now, a number of years later, that vision still remains. Rob Bradley still fronts Aries, with Sean Rhodes taking the command of guitar duties, and Andy Ham and Mike Fulkerson completing the rhythm section.
Aries can be easily identified musically or on the stage; known for their high energy live performances, as well as by their signature classic rock sound, Aries has shared the stage with such legends as Sebastian Bach, The Protomen, Dio Disciples ft. Tim “The Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth) on vocals, and Symphony X, and have carved a name for themselves in such events as 98 Rock’s well known Noise in the Basement, The Exposed Music Festival, etc.
Aries has also been named as 98 Rock/Shockwave Magazine’s Band of the Month(December 2012) followed by being named as their Band of the Year(2013). Aries stays busy with a show schedule that has had them perform in Virginia, Connecticut, Illinois, and many other regions of the East Coast.
With a solid line-up, busy schedule, expanding resume, and a growing catalog of material, stay tuned for new releases and show updates!
