photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Review of Stonetrip: “Fame” (Golden Robot Records)

Melbourne rockers Stonetrip are Mark Ritchie (vocals), Mick Malusa (guitars), Sebastian Barahona (bass), Simon Croft (guitars), and Brett Spicer (drums). The band’s latest hard-rocking single, “Fame,” just dropped a few weeks ago. And from its opening lyrics, you immediately know it’s not a song celebrating “Fame.” The song begins, “You don’t want for anything that doesn’t give you fashion or fame. You showed me your true colors when you tainted me with your stain.” Well!

image courtesy of BJF Media

Musically, you may notice just a hint of “Sweet Emotion” in the opening riff, but that’s the last you’ll think of Aerosmith, at least as a comparison, though stylistically Stonetrip would be a good tour pairing with just about any classic rock act. After the opening riff, the song quickly evolves into a raucous, slightly Southern rock-seasoned, guitar-driven, classic hard rock number. There’s a sidewinding bluesy element in the guitarwork atop a strong, though not exactly straight-ahead, drum beat. No the drumming’s a lot more interesting than that, even as the rhythm section relentlessly drives the song forward. It’s also worth noting a late-song guitar solo that’ll appeal to fans of nifty axework. Throughout, the vocals are rough-hewn, pure old-school rock vocals, with a tunefulness just barely tempers the intensity. In all, this is just a damn good classic rock/metal-influenced hard rock song with just enough of a hook in the guitarwork and vocals to make it memorable.

Hard-rockers, this is a song you should hear, particularly if your tastes favor classic rock and/or classic Southern rock influences.