The Shook – Hermetic Revelry (2021)
Building on the positive response they received from their debut EP, The Shook is shaking us up with Hermetic Revelry. The 4-track EP expands on the sound of their last while sharpening their focus for hard-hitting music that is easy to groove to. With a delightful blend of rock and blues, they tell memorable stories through each song packed with strong emotions.
While the musical blend of the band is still evolving, it all started with improvised sessions at parties between Andrew Newville (vocals) and Ben Stephenson (guitar). After deciding to give their own take on blues, they played with a few incarnations of the band before Derek Keller (bass) and Brandon Billings (drums) became permanent fixtures. Since then, the pooling of their influences and styles have built their sound which continues to grow.
The EP opens with ‘Easy’ which blasts a blues-rock sound into your ears. The guitars thrum through the soundscape while the drums bring a foot-tapping rhythm to your soul. Newville’s vocals dance around the instrumentation with a slide and hop that is really infectious. The interaction between the vocals and melody is wonderful as the guitars seem to pick up the threads of the lyrics for a reply. Through this opening track, you can feel the focus of the band and the sharpening of their sound.
‘Return of the Sun’ has a deeper feeling to the opening as the bass vibrates in the dark recesses of the soundscape. The guitars that flow over the bass continues these currents of darkness while the vocals growl into your ears. There is a really important message in the lyrics that you should take the time to listen to and digest. While there is an overall dark shroud over the melodics, the vocals do bring a lighter feeling of embracing life and enjoying the ride. There is a melodic bridge later in the track that is wonderful as the guitars flow through your chest and the vocals echo around your head.
There is a greater blast of rock in the opening of ‘Dreamers Disease’. The guitars soar out before the foot-tapping beat rises from the depths. While carrying a heavier rock vibe, there is also a touch of country-rock and blues that is absolutely wonderful and masterfully handled. The movement of the song has you floating on a kaleidoscope of psychedelic lava lamp waves. The essence of being a dreamer has been perfectly captured by the band in this track. It is a ridiculously easy song to listen to as you sit back on the grass and let the sun warm you while watching the clouds.
The EP comes to a close with the pulsing tones of ‘Fire’. The guitars have you swaying to their rhythm before the vocals fill your brain with the imagery of the lyrics. The descriptive power of the lyrics has you feeling the flickering flames of a fire and the scratch of smoke in the back of your throat. The stifling feeling that comes from smoke is a perfect representation of the message in the lyrics. As the song progresses, you are freed from this and feel the punch of the vocals as they hit out.
The Shook has you moving to their sound while hitting you with thoughtful lyrics and soaring guitars and infectious vocals with Hermetic Revelry. Each track shines in its own way while coming together to form a solid EP. You can hear the evolution of the band’s sound and easily become excited about where they are going in the future.
Find out more about The Shook on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
