Cheyenne Plains: A Demo and a Couple of Gigs

First things first I will admit in this review of a local Aberdeen metal band that I am good friends with the guitarist and I am biased.

Cheyenne Plains is a four piece ensemble that play a cool mix of classic rock and metal. Their influences are evidently well spread and each member is definitely talented. They are currently offering free downloads and a three song CD at just £1 they’ve also been playing little gigs in the city (Aberdeen).

So what is there to be said of this band that is beginning to move forwards and take clear steps in a very positive direction? Well let’s talk about the demo. It is a bit rough and in honesty the production and clarity of sound is not great, but not everyone has access to the equipment or software to make perfect recordings. The songs are all well chosen and highlight the powerful vocal talent as well as showcasing the talents of the other band members. However the three songs do sound a tad similar as often metal songs can, and at points there is a certain lack of crispness that makes it sound more like a live recording than studio work. There is definite room for improvement but it is an extremely good start.

Moving on to live performances I have seen 2. At both they have played well, not choked and managed to incite applause from the crowd. At their last gig there was however a distinct lack of crowd and need for other bands, one band playing a set with nothing else is a bit odd and can put punters off. At their earlier gig however they did one thing that impressed me greatly, towards the end of their session they had a technical difficulty, an equipment malfunction. Many young bands would finds this crippling and simply call the set short, however with a little rearrangement the band played on showing perseverance and adaptability, two very valuable traits. During their shows they also did not shy away from talking to the crowd, there was a little showboating in the solos, and more importantly the solos had live flare which I liked a lot.

Of the band themselves there are issues, some of the songs do sound similar and there could be great diversity between them, there is also the need for diversity from the genre of metal, though they have their own sound the metal genre is very big and bands really have to push for some signature. I would also like to hear some songs that better show off the fantastically talented drummer and bassist. Diverging from this they do have a very nice sound, the drum beats set a fantastic rhythm and pace, the bass is a little funky and really gives the songs strong foundation. The guitarist is extremely talented and the singer on support also shows great skill, his singing isn’t too bad either with a mid deep sound that is strangely satisfying though practice needed in some higher octaves.

Overall the best thing about this band is that it has fantastic potential. All the members are highly talented and work extremely well together. Yes they’re not perfect, yes there are improvements to be made, but I have faith. For a band so young they are doing very well and I believe very soon we will see something amazing.