The debut EP Day to Defy from Poison Skies delivers a familiar pop-punk kick while nailing their powerful and catchy sound.
The EP begins with their upbeat single Eighty Six, leading into the heavier half-time thrash of Stop and Breathe – The catchy, melodic chorus in this second track provides a stark contrast against a well-orchestrated wall of noise.
The bands' three guitarists compliment each other while still keeping their parts different and unique, while the gang vocal arrangements compliment the dynamic rhythm of the drums and bass.
From there we move on to City Streets,a classic pop-punk blend infused with an upbeat vibe and lyrics that sound like a positive anthem for urban youth, a sound reminiscent of well known Auckland bands The Bleeders and King Cannons – the music video for this song tells a story of an office worker longing to finish his day and go home and dress up in a bright colorful clown costume.
The standout track for me was track 05 – Victim of Reality – this track is one big party – with a big riff that almost lends itself to the likes of early Motorhead with a big, rock chorus and a kick-ass guitar solo; this definitely the sing-along Rock track of the EP.
The Auckland-based 5 piece have been around since 2013 and are currently on tour with Rebel Sound Radio. You can catch them November 25th at Gravity Bar Hamilton, and November 26th at Backbeat in Auckland.
Formed in 2013, Auckland-based high energy rock band Poison Skies have quickly made a name for themselves with their incendiary live performances and uncompromising, yet hooky, songs. With all members already linked together through previous bands, gigs and tours, an opportunity finally arose to get together to create a new band with an emphasis on great times, great tunes and great energy.
Boasting up to 3 guitars, a powerhouse frontman and an incredibly tight rhythm section that packs the force of a freight train, Poison Skies definitely make an impression. An upbeat, high octane approach associated with the likes of Pennywise, Rise Against, Story of the Year, AFI combined with diverse influences from metal, punk, and rock (local and offshore), Poison Skies deliver blasting waves of high energy that any rock enthusiast will surely appreciate.
Poison Skies' debut EP Day to Defy was released in Oct 2016, and features their 3 previous singles. The EP was recorded and mixed by Tui-award winning engineer Dave Rhodes (Blindspott, Stylus) and mastered at Stirling (New York) and Sage (Nashville) studios.