The Species

Mansfield based The Species recently got in touch as we’ve featured some of the other bands from around them. Always eager to hear new things I thought I’d get straight on it to see what they were bringing to the table.

Broken Glass opens with a lead line squeeling over a chunky rhythm guitar and bass mash up, all underpinned by a solid drum beat. Kicking in with some hauntingly clean and detatched vocals, a contrast is immediately created between the backing music and the vocals which works to continue to lift this track beyond simple rock or indie music. Catchy in its own right, there’s something very disjointed and detached here, it’s hard to put into words but when you hear it hopefully it makes sense, the combination of instruments is almost Muse like at times, the vocals more indie based meaning that you’re bombarded with different elements, all combining to form a hugely successful track.

Petals From Stolen Flowers continues in much the same way, once again drawing on that lead line to complete the mix of instruments before kicking into a harmonic verse section, very indie this time but again sounding unique to the band. I suppose similarities could be drawn to the Artic Monkey’s here, but I don’t think that would be fair. The Species have got their own sound, it’s heavier than a lot of other indie stuff so elevates beyond a simple tag and creates a new one for themselves. The Exotic and Ironic is further testament to this, opening with a bass heavy section before kicking in with the sporadic riffs and lead line again. The vocals take on a more spoken approach this time around, creating further contrasts which have an almost hypnotic effect on things – you’re continually kept intrigued by it! Launching into a much more distorted riff this time around, this track is another unique take on a musical genre which pushes the boundaries of what you’d expect, and I really like it!

Peep Show once again harks back to more solid rock, opening with a distorted riff which is almost funky in the way it roves around, the track comes into being in epic style. Kicking in with the clean vocals once again, this time the voice changes between these clean words and more strained approaches to match the frantic guitar work. Throwing down into a solo this time around, this track is probably my personal favourite, it’s more solidly based in the sort of music I normally go to so it’s bound to connect more! Final track Pixel Vision closes the selection here in style, launching head first into a solid riff and pounding drum beat, this track leaves you with no doubt in your mind that you’ve just heard a band who are on their way to developing a unique take on music which is sure to be popular.

I’ve really enjoyed hearing The Species as normally, on paper I’d have passed them by. Their music is heavy and loud in its own right, yet somehow soothes the soul as it plays, almost reassuring you that what you’re hearing is something you’re going to enjoy. I think it’s impossible to put them in a genre as there’s so much going on here, I just hope they stick to this recipe as I reckon it could well be a winner! - Loud-Stuff.com