EP REVIEW: Masquerade – Kikamora

For all the multitude of genres out there in the world of loud and lairy music, sometimes you just can’t go wrong with straight up, balls out, classic hard rock. There’s been a mini-revival in the last few years thanks to the likes of RIVAL SONS  and BLACKBERRY SMOKE and this has rippled into the local scenes, with a number of up-and-coming bands taking the same incentive and running with it. KIKAMORA, a six-piece from Bristol, are no exception to this, but thanks to a superb band chemistry, a thumping live show and a secret weapon – we’ll get to that later – they have managed to build themselves a seriously impressive fanbase. Their second EP Masquerade sees the light of day, their follow up to 2016’s In the Henhouse and the next chapter in their continuous rise.

In order to stand out when playing music that has been present for over forty years, you either need to be bloody good at what you do or hold something rather unique in your arsenal; KIKAMORA have both. Opening track Alibi is a mover and shaker in every sense of the work, with vocalist Wilf Kite and lead axeman Jimi Bessant the stars – the former with a voice that mixes the pipes of Robert Plant, Axl Rose and Brian Johnson before adding a healthy swagger on top, the latter with a sumptuous guitar solo that Slash would be proud of.

The fun continues with Cuff, a riff out of the GUNS N’ ROSES scrapbook leading into a blues-ier tune that whilst not having the same sleaze and sex appeal as the Most Dangerous Band in the World, still incites memories of the Sunset Strip in all its glory. Then there’s Wrong Place, Right Time, which sees that aforementioned secret weapon take centre stage in saxophonist Frankie Povey; add a groovy harmonica on top and you have a song that oozes coolness, the pace dropping down a notch to evolve the track from an all-out rocker to a true driving tune.

The other two tracks on the EP adopt an even more leisurely tempo but are no less powerful. The more melodic underbelly of KIKAMORA is revealed in Sat Around, which boasts another lovely solo from Bessant and takes more time to come to its satisfying conclusion, allowing an appreciation for the band’s dexterity. The EP closes with Said and Done, a ballad representing the bastard child of BON JOVI and THUNDER which introduces acoustic guitars into the mid and allows the bass stylings of Rob Ives, the drumming prowess of Andy Page and the rhythmic underpinnings of second guitarist Chris Archela to come to the fore in equal measure.

In KIKAMORA, the UK has a slumbering giant waiting to wake and dominate the national rock scene for years to come. The combination of catchy riffs, huge choruses and gorgeous melodies will be stuck in many a head and Masquerade is just the beginning for a band who are on the cusp of something really special.

Rating: 8/10

Masquerade is out now via self-release.

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