Band : Barely Breathing

Album title : Relive The Regret

Label : Casket/ Copro

Distributor : PHD

Release date : 17/03/2008

Release : MCD (7 tracks)

South African Metal act Barely Breathing was formed in February 2006 and right from the start singer Michael Cronje , guitarist Shaun Pearson , bassist Shawn Greyling , and drummer Eben Pepler decided that they would nót be a covers band. If anything, the guys wanted to be unique, and be loved for their own music and style.

They soon had a couple of songs ready, and recorded 3 of 'em for their first demo in June of the same year. Although not of the normal radio standard sound, two of its songs ( "Ignite" and "Ghost Of The Razor" ) would get some airplay on local radio stations. The demo itself would go on to sell a total of 500 copies. In August '06 the band won a "Battle Of the Bands" event, but it was only in early 2007 that the band realised its dream of performing in front of live audiences. Since then, they've played all around South Africa, and appeared at a couple of festivals to boot. Things combined to the band attracting the attention of a couple of "higher placed" collegues in music (among which Martin Schofield of Wonderboom – a band active since 1996; and the band Agro – around and about since 1994), who were ready and willing to give the youngsters valuable advice, and this culminated in the band recording their second demo Relive The Regret with the help of Jared Gunston from the band Chromium (who's got his own studio in which over 30 bands have already recorded). Later, in October, the band would even join Chromium on a short tour of KwaZulu Natal.

The band sees its music as a Metalcore with touches of Thrash Metal, but as a genral description that can go many ways. Regretfully, I've found no sound files on the Internet anywheres about (even the label is defective in that department, and for some reason the band has taken off those mp3-files that wére on their own website barelybreathing.co.za), but I'll tell you that the guitar riffs are really sharp and visceral...and melodic. Drums are precise and to the point, and the vocals show that Jeckyl & Hyde effect so often displayed in the genre. The nice thing is that the clean side is actually quite adult, in contrast to the band members' youth (you'd rather expect a girlie voice there). Rougher vocals (both from the lead singer and someone else in the band) go from a Thrashy one to a deep growl and Death Scream. Quite some variety there actually. Although this South-African quartet certainly will grow some more over the years to come (let's not forget they made this very mini-album after not even having played together for 1 ½ years, but in spite of their youth they show a precautious maturity nevertheless), I'd say this is something for fans of the likes of Caliban and Killswitch Engage .

Look out for a full-length later this year, as the band is already scheduled to come over to London in June for a recording session! It's very probably that they will be putting in some shows on this side of the equator around that time as well, so we can only hope the boys will be put in the possibility to cross the channel for a couple of gigs outside the UK as well.

90/100

Tony.