A Killer First Impression

Fans of rock, grunge or anything with overdriven guitars and stellar riffs should be incredibly excited about Britain’s newest and most electrifying act, HotWax. Reminiscent of rock icons of the past and only five tracks long, the trio’s debut EP, A Thousand Times goes all out, showcasing the sheer magnitude of what this group has to offer. HotWax brings a familiarity that will entice fans of established rock legends while, at the same time, incorporating new elements of their own that redefines the genre.

It really is rare that a three-piece ensemble is as good as HotWax is. Having only three musicians can lead to all sorts of complications: not enough instruments which can lead to an emptier sound and weaker musicians tend to be exposed in the smaller setting making it quite easy to tell the pros from the amateurs; all problems of which HotWax is unfamiliar. With heavy drums that channel Dave Grohl provided by Alfie Sayers, incredibly catchy bass riffs from Lola Sam and a new iconic female vocalist to the rock scene in Tallulah Sim-Savage, the group lacks little to nothing. Each member is so vital to the collective sounds of the group that they all shine in their own moments throughout the course of the five tracks on the EP.

The trio comes out swinging with their opening track, “Treasure,” setting the tone of the rest of the EP. With an energetic and up-tempo drum groove right out of the gate, the track sets up the most spine-chilling switch during the pre-chorus, one that would make any seasoned musician crinkle their nose and headbang along. If that wasn’t enough, Sim-Savage and Sam lay down an incredible riff to accompany the groove, the first of many fantastic riffs to be heard on the EP.

These trends of groovy drums and delicious licks continue on the next couple of tracks, with a really memorable melodic bassline on “All I Want” and some incredibly overdriven riffs on “Mother,” made even denser by the octave doubling by Sam. It’s on the third track, “Mother,” that Sim-Savage lets loose and plays a fiery solo that is so full of gain that it rivals washing machines.

On the title track “A Thousand Times,” Sim-Savage displays the other half of the talent that she provides for the group, showing off her hypnotizing vocals making the track the calmest amongst its neighbors. That isn’t to say, however, that the track doesn’t rock, because with every chorus comes an explosion of sound that makes it hard to believe that HotWax is a mere trio.

The closing track, “Rip It Out,” presents itself as an opportunity for the group to really go out and illuminate all of their best traits, with angsty screamed vocals from Sim-Savage, an opening bass riff that establishes the laid-back groove from Sam and the signature heavy drums from Sayers.

Once the listening experience concludes, it’s hard not to want to listen again and again, which is a good sign for the group, given how young they are and how much potential they have to really set the musical world on fire.