EP REVIEW: Head Turns First, Eyes Follow… – Graveyard Shifters

Finland seems to be known for reindeers, Nokia and saunas. It is also known as the happiest country for a number of different reasons and one of those reasons should definitely be because of the musical talent they’re producing right now. Punk rockers GRAVEYARD SHIFTERS are proof of that with their outstanding new EP Head Turns First, Eyes Follow….

The opening track Fake It Till You Make It really sets the tone for the rest of the EP. It lets you know what these guys are all about if you’re a new fan, and if you’re an older fan it feels comforting to be hearing the new material from these guys. It starts with a thick texture provided by the guitars until the guttural vocals cut through giving the track an overall heavy feeling. This is exactly the sort of song you’d want to open up an EP and you know the rest is going to be something else.

Head Turns First, Eyes Follow… is the second track and it feels like there is more structure to this one as the instruments are introduced one by one. The lyrics feel a lot more personal in this one and you can sense lead singer J. Matilainen’s inner turmoil. It’s clear to see why this is the title track on this EP. J. Eskelinen and H. Kansonen‘s guitar parts are at the forefront of this one and they complement each other perfectly, creating a chaotic feeling to headbang to if you weren’t already.

Next up is Whirlpool, which has a different feel from the previous tracks. It seems a little more carefree and could almost be classed as a skate punk track. Especially with the little electric guitar fills played in the verses. The vocals for this track are much more straightforward as well. It’s way more direct and in your face rather than showing off the talent. It’s also clear that these guys possess which is something it takes guts to do in music: whereas a lot of bands just want to impress with every track, these guys have decided to stick to basics with Whirlpool and it really pays off in this case.

The final track is called Calm Down Before The Storm, but from the sounds of it. these guys have absolutely no intention of calming down. This song is probably the heaviest on the EP and probably the best. It’s really infectious and gets you nodding along without you even realizing you’re doing it. It really has the riotous punk sound these guys set out to create from the start and they’ve more than succeeded on this track and the entire EP for that matter.

Head Turns First, Eyes Follow… is a red-hot banger of an EP. It’s fast, heavy and dripping with venom. It gets your feet moving and your head nodding and is fuelled with unrestrained punk rock energy that gets you up and moving no matter what. It’s full of soaring solos and swooping vocals that you can’t help but have a good time to.

Rating: 7/10

Head Turns First, Eyes Follow… is set for release on August 5th via self-release.

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