Review by SARAH ROBINSON

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BATTLECAT‘s second EP, ‘State of Mind’ would make an excellent soundtrack for a Transformers film. Combining nineties rock sounds with moments of eighties screeching guitar licks, any one partial to a good old American rock song will admire this band. Perth music heavy weight, Shaun O’Callaghan engineered and mixed the six track release.

The three members of Battlecat sound like they know each other well. If not, then they are certainly in tune with each other’s playing styles. Each instrument works with the next to create well-structured, commercially accessible rock songs. Their sense for when to play and more importantly, when not to play is innate.

An attention grabbing drum beat penetrates the senses and welcomes listeners to track one of Battlecat’s EP. ‘Secrets’ begins and ends with the same riff, creating a striking symmetry. Lead vocalist, Christian Parkinson, mixes up his vocals, ranging from controlled and melodious to American-accented explosions. Although ‘Secrets’ has a pleasing dynamic, the first minute seems re-hashed in the remaining two. As a result, listeners may lose interest in this song.

A memorable lead guitar riff complemented by a slow, determined bass line combines to create ‘State of Mind’. Lyrics offer a great story and are built upon by a driving drumbeat, which guides the song in and out of its catchy chorus. The medium pace of the song encourages some controlled head nodding and the chorus certainly pays off.

‘Thanks for Nothing’ and ‘You Can Run’ sound epic. Atmospheric guitars and guttural bass lines introduce the listener to both tracks. Relationship themes are present throughout the EP and are particularly noticeable in ‘You Can Run’ with lyrics such as “you’re searching for that someone just to make it right” scattered throughout. Parkinson delivers lyrics surrounding dissatisfaction and longing with a professional level of heart.

Battlecat’s EP is exceptionally tight and their tried and tested take on rock songs would leave most converted rock fans satisfied. However, while the band evidently has the tools, it doesn’t do anything new with them. Songs lack originality and their music does not take any risks. If Battlecat played outside its nineties rock circle, the results could be phenomenal.

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