Million Dollar Fix – Psychedelephant

Metal for Beginners

Million Dollar Fix’s new four track EP, Psychedelephant, was released May 11th. Although the name may lead you to believe that you’re about to listen to some sweet, funky jam band riffs, you would in fact be wrong. In fact, the album is the complete opposite of that. Psychedelephant is a riff-rocking EP, filled with distortion and dueling guitars. Their singer, Logan Derby, sounds similar to a young Geddy Lee of RUSH, with a higher range that can almost sound melodically screeching at times – and since both groups are Canadian, it is likely that MDF was inspired by them.

The songs here are simplistic at their core, especially the first two. However, by the second two, the guitars begin to shine. The two go head to head with complementary and challenging riffs. It would have been interesting to hear how these songs might sound with a double bass pedal. Compared to the filling sounds of the guitars and bass, the drum felt slightly hollow for the strong metal tone of Psychedelephant. Yet, this basic drum tone allows the band to be more accessible. It is so often that a driving bass beat in conjunction with guitar distortion (which Million Dollar Fix doesn’t lack) causes so many to walk away from the metal genre, which is truly unfortunate.

“Hoptical Illusions” has an incredible opening riff; it starts with a confident bass line, which is then met with harmonizing guitars. Again, there is still a cavernous feeling that could easily be filled with a stronger drum beat. However, the four tracks are coherent and, despite their repetition, are a fairly easy listen – even for those who don’t usually find themselves drawn towards a heavier sound.