One of the best parts about music is its ability to bring people together from all over the world.
Take Korsunnuz as an example. Here’s a band from the U.K. with a name inspired by the Turks playing Desert Rock inspired by the Stoner Scene, the Alt movement, and the slightest hint of Nu Metal.
Those are plenty of influences at one time, but it comes together perfectly for Korsunnuz. This is an extremely tight band, and that cohesion shines through on Negative Earth, the band’s latest EP. Over the course of six outstanding tracks, Korsunnuz demonstrates over and over again that they’re ready to take the Rock underground by storm.
About Korsunnuz
Don’t let the mentions of Alt Rock and Nu Metal scare you away. Korsunnuz lists bands like Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet, Graveyard, and the Melvins among their biggest influences, and they’ve already played in support of former Queens of the Stone Age member Nick Oliveri and Greece’s Naxatras.
Korsunnuz, for the record, is pronounced “Core-Sun-Us” and is a Turkish phrase meaning “You are blind.”
The Korsunnuz band members are:
- Rick Cage – Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
- David Turner – Lead Guitar
- Irish Dave – Bass
- Danny Rowe – Drums
For Negative Earth, Saltlicker’s Kieron contributed additional drums, and the EP was mixed and engineered by Neil Haynes at Parlour Studios.
Negative Earth EP Review
Tracks: 6
Length: 23:39
Track One: Half Life
As our opener to Negative Earth, “Half Life” is packed with everything we’ll see throughout this tidy EP: exciting pinch harmonics, rhythmic power chords, carefully layered vocals, and plenty of hooks. If you ever jumped onto the Alt Rock movement of the ‘90s or the Post-Grunge train that came soon after, “Half Life” and the rest of Negative Earth should feel quite familiar.
Track Two: Barracuda
Fast and upbeat, “Barracuda” is a fun rocker on a classic topic: muscle cars (or, more specifically, a Barracuda):
She’s a Barracuda
This lady’s built for speed
She’s my Barracuda
She’s got everything I need
Track Three: Sun Over Sierra Madre
Lightly Industrial and packed with plenty of hip-shaking grooves, “Sun Over Sierra Madre” is as fun as it is sexy. After the straightforward verses, the vocal harmonies in the chorus really makes the entire experience pop.
Track Four: Show Myself Out
As with “Sun Over Sierra Madre,” “Show Myself Out” has a light Industrial influence—especially in those high gain guitars. In many ways, “Show Myself Out” is the emotional apex of the EP, and Rick Cage’s layered vocals pack a serious punch over nearly five minutes.
Track Five: Cruise Control
“Cruise Control” starts with a tinge of Southern Rock, calling to mind Shinedown or 3 Doors Down early on, especially with the addition of the slide technique on guitar. Track five gives Rick Cage a few more opportunities to wail, which is something he does well over the rest of the band.
Track Six: The Road Warrior
“The Road Warrior” is a return to form for Korsunnuz. Packed with rhythmic palm-muted power chords and pinch harmonics, “The Road Warrior” is adorned with flourishes during its energetic execution. Danny Rowe’s drums are a major reason “The Road Warrior” moves at such a frenetic pace, and that beautiful guitar solo eventually leads us to the EP’s conclusion.
Final Thoughts
Score: 10/10
Standout Tracks: “Half Life” and “Sun Over Sierra Madre”
Pros: Negative Earth may be the best EP you hear this year.
There is nothing pretentious about Negative Earth—it’s simply a collection of musicians rocking out to the best of their ability for the perfect amount of time, all through an intriguing collection of influences.
In simple terms, Negative Earth is low-down, dirty Hard Rock.
Cons: Some of the techniques exploited on this EP, like the pinch harmonics, butt up against the line of growing tiresome. Fortunately, Negative Earth concludes before there’s an opportunity for that to happen.
If Negative Earth had been any longer, I would have asked for something a little more dynamic—even an acoustic track would have fit well on a full album of songs like these—but that seems to be unnecessary here.
As it is, Negative Earth is a brief reprieve from the rest of the world.
Where to Learn More About Korsunnuz
If you like Korsunnuz, you can check them out on Bandcamp or follow them on Facebook.