Spirit Gun – The Antonym (2023)
Despite knowing each other for over two decades, US-based Oren Lev (drums and vocal) and Pete Overstreet (guitar and vocal) only began playing together in 2018. After their original bassist left, the lads discovered Tony Burgess (bass and vocal) who, well, just fit their sound and Spirit Gun was born. Very brief “how we came about” history over, let’s get to the meat of this review. I mean, who is Spirit Gun and what are they all about…oh yes, and what about their EP The Antonym.
Known for energetic, hard-hitting and almost electric performances, seeing Spirit Gun is a sensational live experience. While audiences are blown away by live shows, the lads carry that energy through to their studio recordings. In 2020, they released their debut EP New Eyes to critical acclaim. Two years later, they were still turning heads across the globe featuring on Lost In The Manor, York Calling, Havoc Underground, Jammerzine, and many more. The most recent addition to their discography is The Antonym.
Following the well-received single ‘Restless’, The Antonym is a four-track EP slathering punk atop elements of alternative rock and post-punk. Brash and bold, the various tracks have a gut-wrenching hit in the guts tone to them. Yet, while ‘9:30’, ‘The Antonym’ and ‘No Reverse’ are hyped-up with an electric blow, the final track ‘Shorty Red’ ends things off with a softer, slower sound. Leaning toward the 90s grunge sound, a distortion exists in the pounding drums and guitars; however, it remains harmonic and melodic in an almost soothing ambience.
With a nostalgic flair, Spirit Gun taps into old-school punk and classic rock with their melodies. The opening track ‘9:30’ is a bulldoze punch in the head with the force of Sex Pistols, as is ‘The Antonym’. Pounding guitars match dynamic guitars forming a frenzied mass of sonic chaos. The thing is, while the arrangement of the EP is a harmonic whole, each track offers all instruments a prominent position, so you pay attention to everything beyond the well-allocated solo sections.
It is not easy to choose a favourite from the EP but ‘No Reverse’ hits the nail on the head for me. Gruff vocals slither through an alternative rock melody bringing a punk-rock tinge to the soothing single. Well, at least it appears to be soothing as it lifts the veil of energetic chaos heard in the first two songs.
While Spirit Gun showcase its versatility and innovation in the four tracks, it is the lyricism and theme that makes The Antonym profound. In an interview with Lost In The Manor, Spirit Gun explains that the EP is a tribute to their dearly departed friend, Jeff Hewitt. Lev shares that “…our friend Jeff Hewitt had passed away very unexpectedly in 2020 and it left us pretty unable to deal with it…we did what we know and wrote about it in our music”. Pete Overstreet further shared that “we wanted to honour our friend Jeff…this EP isn’t just a tribute but it’s also a chronicle of realising the fragility of life and how quickly the past can diminish…”
For more from Spirit Gun, check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
