Ecstasy’s Not Life EP Review

There’s certainly plenty of good sounds coming out of New Zealand at the moment and the ‘Ecstasy’s Not Life’ seven track EP by Oxboy is no exception to the rule.

Released by Hit Your Head Music and recorded over three days by Alec Withers (Devil’s Elbow, Tempo 38, Angel Hammer, Servo) and mastered by Ian G. Morris (Th’ Dudes, Dave Dobbyn and When the Cats Away) the band is reported as being stoked with the result and truly the production quality can’t be faulted. With just the right amount of harshness for this type of release, these tracks will get your head banging until your neck breaks.

The fourth song entitled Disconnect is my favourite. Slowly building an impenetrable wall of sound and with quieter moments to give room to the vocals, it soon locks it up with unrelenting powerful riffs and driving drums that bring the house down. What’s that you say? I can’t hear you co’s the music’s too loud.

There’s a drinking theme throughout, which hits on the f u mentality of punk rock music. Driven by phat guitars, kick arse drumbeats and bass-lines to blow your mind, this debut release is intense! Sounding a bit like Rage Against the Machine crossed with Sommerset, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles or Bad Religion; Oxboy who hail from Hawkes Bay hit you hard right up the cranium with moshing musical madness.

Some social commentary particularly with the fifth track If I Was… continues the hardcore in your face attitude. Kind of Americanised spoken vox doesn’t always work for me but there’s no lack of punk rock attitude portrayed with the style. Overall a sterling performance captured in all its rawness.

‘Ecstasy’s Not Life’ is well worth a listen.