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Reviewed 2003-11-17
Broken – Tanjras (Guru Records)
Don’t quite know what to make of this one. It mixes a lot of different elements that one wouldn’t think would go well together. Lots of melody, like recent Soilwork, except without any of the harsh vocals; all the songs are sung in a clean vocal style (a little like Opeth and Tool), only rarely veering off into a somewhat “gruff” vocal delivery, but nothing heavier than, say, Linkin Park. I could almost describe this as emo, but it’s not quite emo since the vocals aren’t flat or out of key or annoying. They’re soulful, heartfelt, well-done, with a lot of a range, and damn near trippy. The guitars are mostly clean, and layered one on top of the other, on top of the other, on and on and on (a little like King’s X). The bass and drums are pretty tight, and the bass lines are actually really entertaining, very fun to listen to, as you can follow them along. Which brings me to another point. The production here is stellar. This is an unsigned band from NY and the CD was pretty much self-recorded and produced, which makes it that much more of an achievement. The song constructions are nothing groundbreaking, but you wouldn’t know it, since they work just fine. The overall vibe is that of a good metal/rock band, mostly midtempo, mostly clean, mostly emotional, and just a really damn good listen. Strongly recommended for everyone, this a fantastic CD. Here’s what’s to like:
1) Starts with slow, meandering, clean guitar and then distorted, down tuned guitar and processed vocals, and then some awesome clean screams and amazing guitars.
2) Another slow, clean start, but more energetic and wit a bigger sense of urgency. Nice use of electronics, layered over all the guitars and the tone here is excellent. A semi-breakdown towards the end, I dig a lot.
3) This is the bass line I was talking about. Awesome song, with some staccato riffing and drumming and the Tool similarities really stand out here.
4) A lot like the other songs, unfortunately this one doesn’t stand out too much.
5) The heaviest track, rather speedy and with distorted guitars, sounds badass.
6) Starts out slow and trippy with odd FX, and then settles into a nice groove, very drum and bass driven. Eventually speeds up and becomes frantic, and then repeats the cycle.
Orges Beqiri 11-15-2003
- 90.1 FM KZSU
Broken, led by vocalist/songwriter Nick Barounis, have been making their presence and music very well known in the New York area for the past two years. Their debut release, Tanjras, is a testament to a genre of music that has been lacking in recent years. Dark and sometimes moody, the music parallels that of Tool, but the band lends its own uniqueness to the comparison.
Lyrically, the band is brilliant. The emotions of loss and betrayal overflow in each song. The music is melodic and complements the lyrics well. Guitarists Keith McGuire and James Maltese, bassist Mike Grabowski and drummer Owen O'mara do a great job of bringing the lyrics to life.
You can get more information on the band at www.brokenband.com. - The Inside Connection
“…maybe this is a brand new genre that Broken have made - Goth Prog Metal...With metal seeming to have lost its direction since nu-metal / rap metal / whatever you want to call it, died a slow and painful death, it's interesting to see a band like Broken and where they fit in...some exciting dynamics and hard, heavy tunes.” - Leeds Music Scene
Discography
Tanjras - Debut EP
Haoma - Limited Edition LP
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Over the past few years, Broken has successfully created a grassroots following to rival any their genre. The basis for such an accomplishment has been nothing more than a product of solid songwriting with a powerful message.
With the accomplishment of their debut, Tanjras, the band quickly moved to launch the debut album in a radio campaign targeting metal specialty shows nationwide. Success was quickly realized as Broken was ranked #4 in the nation on FMQB’s “most added” list in their first week. Stations nationwide from Honolulu to Austin are giving the album much-deserved attention despite the fact that promotion has been primarily the band website and word of mouth. This eventually garnered the band a "Top 50" FMQB ranking among the nation's most successful metal acts.
Although non-utilization of a marketing juggernaut like some of its peers arguably has left Broken at a disadvantage in the sea of national radio, the goal of the band was to allow the momentum of the album to be determined solely by the quality of the songs within. The comparative success of Broken as of late is a testament not only to the strength of the songs but adherence to the belief that individuals naturally respond to bands that they like based on the merits of their music alone.
The band has been touring regionally during the last calendar year in a calculated attempt to create sizeable fan bases in a number of markets. Main growth areas are NY, MA, and NJ with ancillary markets under development in CT, MD, and PA. The momentum gained by solid promotion and diligent touring are beginning to show added value.
Broken was also recently selected out of over 2,500 hopefuls to participate in the Locobazooka Music Festival, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. In preparation for the event, the band recorded a live session of recently written songs in one day and created the limited edition LP Haoma to capture the energy of the band live.
The overwhelming response of the thousands of fans that saw this dynamic and powerful band perform at Locobazooka was nothing short of amazing. Broken played on the "Harder, Faster" Stage with such bands as Shadows Fall, Kittie, All That Remains, Candiria, Clutch, and Damage Plan. The most notable fact is that Broken played in front of one of the largest crowds that the stage saw all day long. As a result, the band is drawing comparisons to such acts as Tool and Deftones with elements not often seen in rock that is creating an impressive reputation through their live performances.
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