APE

The latest band in this set to be counting cars by the monkey bars come in the form of Toronto doom/grungy three-piece Ape who released their debut full-length CD chock-laden full of melodic yet hard-hitting cohesive-sounding hard rock with the obvious influences and hints of the Seattle sound with some Tool and even bits of Dream Theater thrown in for good measure. Much like the Dopamine CD except in this case Ape use more of the standard verse-chorus-verse song syntax in their lyrics such as in "Sell Out" and the singing is more dramatic-sounding and uses more vocal enunciation like in songs such as "Passion" and "Man To Machine".

And did I mention that Ape are also more of a jam session type of band? Not to worry in that when I say "jam session type" I don’t mean that the songs are longer than watching the average episode of Robot Chicken but that the soloing’s pretty complex in parts and timed properly so as not to wane the interest in the listener midway during the song. Yes, half of the 8 songs in this disc are between 5 and 7 minutes in length (the closing song "Singin’ My Song" actually clocks in at almost 8 minutes) but there’s enough momentum and simplistic energy and humor in the execution and the delivery in the music to carry the flow along. In fact, let’s take my favorite song off of the album, "Doggy Style" as an example here. Half of the song – which is about the infamous sexual position and the subject of the song being eager to try this said position on his equally willing partner – is simply the band jamming around the main riff which is straight off of AC/DC’s "Shot Down In Flames". Be interesting to see Dream Theater attempt a song like this whose chorus is "Doggy style/Is what she wanted/Doggy style/Is what she needs", wouldn’t it?

In short, lots of stuff here that’s the monkey’s nuts.

- Andrew Depedro (KNAC.com)

APE is a straight up Metal band. They do add in elements of different styles of Metal, but they are a Metal band through & through. They have touches of Classic 70's Metal with Traditional 80's Heavy Metal & then some 90's Power & Thrash Metal mixed all with in. There is some cool catchy guitar riffs in their songs with clean clear Modern Metal sounds. They mostly dominate in a Traditional Heavy Metal sound the most though. The vocals are done in a clean mid ranged Heavy Metal/Classic Metal style. This is definately one for all old school Classic Metalheads! - BEOWOLF PRODUCTIONS

3 piece straight from the t-dot or TO or for you non-Ontario people Toronto, Ontario Canada. I actually see these guys flyers quite a bit around the city so they are an active band. I think they added me as a friend on myspace a while back as well. So they are around. Typical bar rock band. Heavy enough to get people drinking and the girls head banging but not so much people can’t even think. If you want that kind of shit you go to the metal bar. I can see this band getting lot’s of gigs at places like the Horseshoe. 8 solid songs with good recording, this band is defiantly trying to break into the mainstream and good luck to them. People all around the whole with the exception of Canadians seem to like our brand of rock at the current time, so good luck to APE. What does APE mean I have no idea, but you get 8 songs to figure it out for yourself. - Cum Sock

Reviewed by Eccentricity on May 5, 2009

Remember the days before music got pigeon-holed into a million genres and sub-genres, when a song either rocked or sucked? Well, Canadian heavy rock/metal group Ape epitomizes music that rocks, even if it doesn’t fit prettily into one genre. Their first major release (they recorded a demo, but it never made it big), "Survival Of The Fittest," is a great listen for anyone who likes their music melodic but aggressive.

Keeping away from the extremes of symphonic or death metal, Ape throws just about everything else into the pot. Vocalist and guitarist Everett Mason manages to pull off the kind of guitar shreds that made glam metal a household term, while also providing good, almost poppy vocals. The lyrics are simple and rhyming for the most part, but the punk influence and occasional feedback make these less than always clean lyrics the kind you want to shout along with. Add to that the intermittent thrash tempo, and the album has some definite headbanging potential.

"So Lonely" is a perfect example of how Ape likes to start things a little light, slowly building in tempo and tension, as a song moves from hard rock into almost speed level thrash. Even the final track, "Barred," which starts out more mellow than the rest of the album, and sounds a bit like a Motley Crue ballad, ends with a breakdown that is pure thrash.

Ape also plays around a bit with funk, sleaze, and blues, testing the waters in "It’s Not," before immersing themselves into the style in the instrumental piece, "Irate Primate." Though there probably was no need for a second instrumental track, "Irate Primate" isn’t just a waste of recording time, and the combination of funky bass and spiraling, almost power metal guitar is a good mix.

"Messin’ Around With Love" begins with a sound that you envision if Guns ‘n Roses and Bowling For Soup collaborated, but then moves into edgier territory, taking up the banner of punk distortion and yelling. By the end of the song, you’re convinced that this is a band you definitely need to see live. There’s also a tiny bit of punk instrumental mixed with thrash in "Beyond The Depth Of Reality," which at first I thought was a relatively weak track, but the ending definitely changed my opinion.

For those who like melodic metal, Ape is a fantastic choice.

Read The Full Review at http://www.metalunderground.com/reviews/details.cfm?releaseid=2040
- Metal Underground

Everett Mason is one busy guy. As singer, songwriter, and guitarist for Canadian metal band Ape, he doesn’t get much time for anything besides his music. Add to that the fact that Ape is currently an unsigned band who just released their second album, "Survival of the Fittest," and are busy marketing the album and themselves to the Canadian and U.S. music scenes. Fortunately, Everett took time out recently to chat with me about the unique origin of the band’s name, the struggles of self-promotion, and what it’s like to be a metal fan and musician.

Nichole Nash: First off, where did you and the guys meet, and how did Ape come about?


Everett Mason: Galen was my next-door neighbor growing up. It was just a fluke that he was learning bass and I was learning guitar while we were right next door to each other. I was about 12 when I moved in, and I didn’t start playing guitar until I was 17. So the first 5 years I knew Galen I had know idea he could play the bass or that we’d ever be in a band together. I think his dad is a bass player and that his grandfather was a bass player too. So it’s in the genes for the guy to play bass. I will bet good money that if Galen has a kid, he’ll play the bass too. The first song we jammed and the first song I learned was "Paranoid." As the months went by we started jamming more regularly and I started writing songs. I always showed them to Galen first for two reasons: he lived right next door to me, and he was the only other person on the planet that hated hip hop as much as I did. After playing for a few months we got a couple of friends to fill in on second guitar and drums positions and we started playing shows. We probably covered "Paranoid" for the first 4 of them. The line-up of the band has been changing ever since. Galen and I have definitely been the lifers in this band.

Nichole: Where did the name Ape come from?


Everett: Originally it was an acronym for the Alcoholic Pussy Eaters. It was more of a joke at first; then we just ended up going by the name APE. The name suits us perfectly because the essence of this band is about being real and genuine. The name refers to how people evolve and how music has evolved. Even the name of the band itself has evolved. Although we are not trying to be a throwback band, most of our influences come from classic metal and hard rock. I like the vibe of the older records - they were much more raw and real than a lot of the new stuff that comes out these days. I want for APE to have a unique modern sound and to capture some of the feel of the more classic records.

Nichole: Your self-titled demo was released in '07. How long before that had you guys been playing together?


Everett: Galen and I had been jamming since 2001. We had gone through about four or five guitar players and ten drummers before we recorded the first demo. Finally, I just decided to play lead guitar on the record and for us to get a session drummer for the record. The band has remained a three-piece ever since. After we made the demo, we knew we were no longer just friends playing in band as a hobby. We knew this is what we wanted to do for life as a living. This demo solidified us as a band. Although I can’t stand to listen to the production of the demo I am still very proud of the songs themselves. The material was good enough to create an epic release, but looking back I should have been much more assertive in the recording process. We weren’t picky enough in choosing a good studio, and we let way too much slide during the mixing process. I was much more involved when we were recording and mixing "Survival," and I think because of that, it is a far better record than the first demo.

Nichole: "Survival of the Fittest" has been out a couple months now. How’s reaction been so far?


Everett: The reaction has been unbelievable. Every time you leave a session at the studio you think you’ve just created something special, but you never really know until you hear feedback from people who listen to the CD. I think some of our fans will have to get used to this album because it is quite different than the first demo. I was going for more melodic vocals with fewer screams and more harmonies. I think the guitars sound big and the solos fit every song nicely. I was really trying not to over play. I think "Survival" has the potential for mass appeal, and I love that we haven’t had to compromise our sound one bit to make it.

Nichole: The album is available on ITunes and in HMV’s across Canada. Any plans to market it in U.S. stores, or are you relying more on the web for promotion?


Everett: Yes. Hopefully we’ll be in U.S. stores very soon. We are doing a cross Canada tour in August so it made sense for us to get it in stores across Canada first. Hopefully a U.S. tour will follow and our CD’s will be available there too. Right now we rely pretty heavily on the web for promotion, even here in Canada. It’s just part of the times I guess. If yo - Metal Underground

The first song on the CD, "It's All My Fault", starts off with a good groove to it, but heavy at the same time, but around the middle of the song, it gets heavier and more like traditional metal. It feels like they stuck two songs together, but it's pretty good so far! Frontman Everett Mason's vocals remind me of Axl Rose from songs like "Mr. Brownstone" and "It's So Easy". He's a good singer, but it's not the type you immediately think of for this type of metal.

The next song, "It's Not" is shorter, but a bit heavier. It has a bit of uniqueness to it, the vocals in particular are more upbeat than the riffing, but it's a quality song all around! Mason's guitar work stands out on this one, as does bassist Galen Weir, it all meshes well! Next song is "Messin' Around With Love", which sounds ready for play on rock radio (aside from the repeated utterance of Fuck You later in the song!) It isn't all that "heavy" compared to other tracks on the album, but it's catchy in it's own way. Good, but not the best on the album!

Next is the title track, "Survival of the Fittest", which starts off with audio of rain and thunder, which sets the mood nicely for the song! It's an instrumental track, with some great work by Mason and Weir, and some really good drumming by Carlos Aguilera. The passages where Mason plays softer ballad-like guitar flow well with the heavier parts, which are both heavy and melodic at the same time! The song ends with silence and birds chirping in the distance, almost like the aftermath of a storm. My only gripes are it was a bit too short, and there was no solos, but it was a solid track!

Next is "Beyond the Depths of Reality", starting with some great drumming by Aguilera, with some catchy riffing starting up not long after! It's more bouncy than some other songs on the album, it's good, but not as heavy as I'd like. But it's damn catchy, and easy to get stuck in your head! It ends well though, with some awesome galloping riffs! This is followed by "So Lonely", which is slower and more introspective, but it still has a heavy edge to it. It's a well done track, but nothing really pops out about it.

After that, we get another instrumental, entitled "Irate Primate". We get some great guitar and bass solo interludes in this track, and it's much heavier and faster-paced than "Survival of the Fittest". I personally prefer this one too! The next song is "How You Left Me" is more downbeat, not a lot of tempo changes or anything, but it's a steady effective track, with a nice solo from Everett Mason as well!

Then, we have "Friend or Foe", which is a great track with what I've been coming to expect from APE on this album, with great catchy riffs, and good singing! The final song is "Barred", which is probably the closest thing to a ballad on the album. It starts with some slow soft playing and singing, with heavier choruses, and a fast heavy close to the song, and the album. It's a really well done song, with the band pulling out their best for the slower and heavier parts equally!

Overall, this is a very solid album with lots of originality and some really good songs that will stick in your head! Sometimes, the vocals don't match the song itself too well, and solos could be added to some songs, but there is very little to complain about here. All of APE are great musicians, and the album is well done and worth a listen!

http://saultmetalscene.blogspot.com/2009/06/stillbroke-concert-preview-and-ape-cd.html - Rob Figures at The Sault Metal Scene

If you like your music hard and heavy then turn your ear to Canadian trio APE. The bands sound has a more relaxed and refreshing vibe then most releases out this year. "Survival Of The Fittest" is the second cd they have under the belt and boy is there an improvement with this. Everett's vocals are more melodic this time around with lots more harmonies and less screaming!

The album is essentially hard rock and progressive. It has it's thrashy moments and dishes a ton of guitar solos (well placed and timed I might add). I can usually pick a fave track on every cd but with this one it changes with every listen. There are 2 instrumental songs "Survival Of The Fittest" & "Irate Primate" which show how talented these musicians truly are. It is obvious when listening to songs like "Messin Around With Love" and "So Lonely" that these guys mean business. It's also apparent when listening to the cd that they have heavy influences from Guns n Roses, Pantera and even a bit of another great Canadian band Rush. I am sure they would make Geddy Lee very proud.

What is a bit unfortunate is that due to the mass amount of hardcore/death metal bands emerging on to the scene from most major labels, these guys might get left a bit behind. In a sense though it comes as a bit of a blessing that these guys are able to stand their ground and create music that they truly feel and believe in. They maintain a certain type of originality which will put them in a league of their own and on a field waiting for others to follow in their footsteps.

http://x-plosiveentertainment.com/xplosivemetal/index.php/reviews/34-cd-reviews/186-ape - Caroline Restiaux of X-Plosive Metal

Coming across as this really interesting musical bridge between Hard Rock, Classic Rock, some Progressive elements that all are beefed up with straight ahead party time metal... Toronto, Canada’s Ape stands as this rather set aside oddity on the music landscape. This quirky yet talented band seems to really set themselves up in the roll of different.

Seriously they come across as this odd cross-bred sort of animal that has parts of System Of A Down, April Wine and Nickleback sandwiched with metallized versions of The Tragically Hip and the classic Rush thrown in there for good measures. They take it all of their influences, put it in a blender and what comes out is originality with listenability.

One listen to the brilliantly penned ‘Messin’ Around With Love’ seems like it could possibly be a radio hit on any modern rock station anywhere while ‘Beyond The Depths Of Reality’ is a melodic metallic styled romp that is so hard to ignore because the melody sticks in your head and refuses to leave. With so many musical weapons in their arsenal... it is hard to dismiss this remarkable band.

Some rather bad production decisions in some places takes away a little from the bands performance, but the album is one that I found to be interesting every time I played it. Ape seems to be shooting on all cylinders as they make their own way through the mass changes of musical ideas. They are clearly some of the strongest musicians and are also as equally strong as songwriters as well. It just seems to pay off to being different... in the rock scene in Canada, they are..

Ape’s "Survival Of The Fittest" album seems to grow on you like a fine wine or a really well brewed beer. I have to say that I do want them to explore a little bit more on their heavier (metal) side of the band. A tad bit more than what they do... but as it stands now I won’t complain very much with what this is either.

http://metalbite.com/tracks.asp?album=8319 - JD from Metal Bite