Anyone out there remember British rockers Bigfoot? Or know who they were? Well, I was pretty much floored the day I heard Bigfoot’s self-titled debut album back in 2017. The band’s 70’s based Classic Rock with melodic Hard Rock from the 80’s on top, not a far cry from what Inglorious does. The astonishment – and disappointment – was total when they split up not too long after that album had come out. What a bummer! Well, lead singer Anthony Ellis didn’t sit idle for long and went on to look for new musicians to play with and when he had found guitarist Nick Clarke, bassist Lee Andrews and drummer Seb Sweet, Kreek was formed and ready go. I know that Kreek isn’t Bigfoot but since the Bigfoot record was so awesome I can’t help but to bring along some big expectations for this record.
Opening the album with a seven minute plus tune might seem as a bold move but hey, if it feels right it usually is. “At The Bottom Of Hell” starts out as I had hoped where the Bigfoot vibes are quite prominent – upbeat, rhythmic and quite stripped but also with layer of Melodic Rock melodies and a big nod towards early 90’s American Arena Rock. It also takes a turn towards 70’s Classic Rock with some crunchy, gritty guitars and a striking rhythm section and a chorus that hits right where it should. It’s a damn good song and the seven minutes flashes by in no-time. “Missiles” is a way grittier effort, a rowdy rocker with big crunchy guitars and a rhythm-section set to hurt you with a kicking and ballsy beat. It’s a raging piece with a distinct live-feel and a good enough refrain. A good song but not spectacular.
“Meet Your Maker” keeps the grit onboard – heavy and punchy with some fat, edgy guitar riffing and a powerhouse rhythm-section. More Hard Rock than Classic Rock, the tune oozes with attitude and vigour without losing any of the melodic catchiness in the melodies, both in the verse and chorus. Said chorus is effective, distinct and striking without aiming for air-play. Good stuff. The single “Million Dollar Man” mixes early 90’s Melodic Rock and late 80’s Sunset Strip pop-metal, holds a striking groove and a chunky rhythm but heavies up by the gritty and rough guitars. The slightly funky rhythms also brings a new dynamic to the genres mentioned. Add shitloads of hooks and a chorus that takes no prisoners and you have a winner. This is splendid.
Both heavy and a bit down-beat, the mid-paced “One Voice” throws a meaty and dark riff our way complete with a headbang-friendly beat, giving us a bit of a Metal twist. This is a classic Hard Rock bouncer with a bluesy edge, especially in the twin guitar solos. The song differs quite a bit to the four first tracks but there are some killer vocal melodies all over the track and the chorus just hits like a ton of bricks. This is some terrific stuff. “Man On My Shoulder” is more of a straight-forward, upbeat rocker where Melodic Rock meets Hard Rock, slick and even glossy melodies combined with crunchy guitars and kicking rhythms. The AOR-isms on the song doesn’t come across as cheesy at all but that said, I find the verses more memorable than the chorus.
Starting out as a power ballad from 1991 with its laid-back and down-beat verses, “Stand Together” grows ballsier and groovier as the song goes along. Still on a ballad note, the added crunchy and crispy guitars brings on a late 80’s/early 90’s Arena Rock touch with a bluesy vibe. There’s a slight nod towards Great White in here but with a more Melodic Rock laden outlook and the massive catchiness of the chorus makes this a top-drawer without a doubt. “Down ‘N Dirty” is a sleazy rocker with dirt under the fingernails, a punchy hard-rocker with a raw edge. Soundwise, it sounds like the bands that came out in the backwater of the early 90’s sleaze-rock. It’s an ok tune but a bit too cliché both musically and lyrically.
“Get Up” takes the mid-paced route but mixes the held-back arrangements with some heavy rhythms and rougher guitar riffs. Style-wise, this is Metal, Glam and Classic Rock in a blender, it’s quite punchy and the sing-along chorus with lots of “whoa whoa whoa” is a crowd-pleaser. While all that might sound fine and dandy, the tune is actually quite streamlined and easily forgotten – a filler. Closing track “You’re On Your Own” is a slow and bluesy rock-ballad, stripped and earthy with a big 70’s vibe and the overall sound is that it could have been an unreleased Bigfoot tune. With a huge refrain, the tune is a single to be – not cheesy, only powerful. It’s rootsy, it’s big and it’s a damn fine song making Kreek closing the album on a splendid note.
My expectations here might have gotten the better of me but I find this album a bit uneven. It contains a few fillers too many for a high-score but on the other hand, the good songs here are more often than not brilliant. Also on the positive side, the production is quite stripped and earthy and not at all polished which brings on a more organic vibe. Fact is, at times it’s even too unpolished to the point of it sounding slightly budget. Still, it’s more on the positive side and the potential here is endless – I wouldn’t be surprised if the next album will take them up to a whole new level. Until then, I will enjoy most of this one.
6/10
Tracklist:
1. At The Bottom Of Hell
2. Missiles
3. Meet Your Maker
4. Million Dollar Man
5. One Voice
6. Man On My Shoulder
7. Stand Together
8. Down ‘N Dirty
9. Get Up
10. On Your Own
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