Brooklyn rock band The R Train lead us on a frantic riff-driven journey that twists and turns amongst powerful guitar work on single Flip Out Zone.
Some bands just want their music to be fun and an outlet for venting everything out of the system. Enter, The R Train. Formed in 2019 by members Jeffrey Black and Mike Annese, single Flip Out Zone taken from upcoming debut album Full Throttle lives by this mantra. The band comes together here to create a rollicking, playful sound that throws you into the back of your seat amidst big riffs, big drums, and big ideas.
From the very outset, Flip Out Zone hits like a freight train with bold, brash guitar strums forming into a whaling, opening solo that settles down into the main riff-heavy sound. This slides along against dirty blues tones and a raw, powerful atmosphere. You’d be mistaken for thinking this was a Led Zeppelin track before the vocals of Jeffrey Black kick in with their distinct edge of punkiness that reflects the energy the track saunters forward on.
Based around the pressures of life and with the recent Coronavirus pandemic in mind, the track tries to relay this well-trodden ground of just being who you want to be and not getting sucked into all the stuff that doesn’t really matter in the long run. It’s a message we’ve all heard before, but we could all do with being reminded of now and again, especially in these recently troubling times.
At times, especially in the chorus, there is an element of psychedelic rock that rears up before being pulled back down by the full-throttle speed and tight yet airy playing style the band possesses. What gives the track that extra edge is that you can really tell the band are having fun and just letting themselves completely go with the flow. The only downfall is the vocals sounding muffled at times, getting overpowered by the music and so you miss out on gaining the essence of what the track is truly about, which is a shame. They just need to be a little bit clearer for everything to come together nicely.
With strong guitar work and ruthless band camaraderie throughout, Flip Out Zone, musically, is a fun and frantic track that pummels forward at the speed of sound. It’s a track that will take your mind off the harsh realities surrounding us for a few minutes and you’re bound to feel better for it afterward.
Score: 3.5/5
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