Did someone say supergroup?
The Watchers are cheeky little scamps, aren’t they? MV received – as we generally do when the music comes from the Ripple label – this EP with great interest.
“Sabbath Highway” we thought, yeah we’ve got this one pegged, cheers. All doomy riffs and Ozzy like intent. Sorted.
Dammit then if when we put the thing on pressed play on the opening track – the title song is also the lead here – and found something with a riff that was equal parts early Iron Maiden and early Motley Crue.
There is an incessant quality about the driving rock on this five tracker. The reasons for it sounding so good are probably because The Watchers, well, they’ve watched a lot over the years. Fresh faced kids these are not, instead the band brings together an impressive cast of seasoned players with vocalist Tim Narducci and bassist Cornbread (SpiralArms, White Witch Canyon), Orchid drummer Carter Kennedy and guitarist Jeremy Von Eppic(Black Gates, The Venting Machine).
Only when understanding that, perhaps can we see why they have the courage to chuck an instrumental organ piece as second song (“Requiem” as only as the prelude to the superb “Call The Priest) and when “…Priest” does kick in its dark, thick guitar lines and delivery are shot through with true class.
It is almost as though on this debut, The Watchers brief was to try as many styles as they could, “Today” for example, comes from the same place as Thin Lizzy later heavy metal output, very much in the mould of “Cold Gin” it is probably the best of a very good bunch.
The brief introduction into the world of The Watchers is completed by “Just A Needle” a little more monolithic perhaps, it is the mightiest thing on offer and its chorus melds together with buzzsaw, fuzzy guitars in a most agreeable fashion.
How far this goes largely depends, you guess on how much time the members can devote to it and whether this is just a bit of fun side project. There’s one thing for sure, though, this EP leaves you wanting a full album.
When it comes to The Watchers, there’s plenty to see here.
Rating 8.5/10
