BONZAI ~ SEEDS TO ROOTS .... review

Formed in 2015 Thessaloniki, Greece natives Bonzai have shared stages with such noted bands as Planet of Zeus, Sasquatch and Kalamata turning many a head with their raucous take on heavy stonerized hard rock.. The band, Giannis Omp (guitars/vocals), Dmitri Parisis (guitars), Matthew Οmp (bass) and Nicko Ridi (drums) ,have just released their first album, "Seeds To Roots", and it's one well worth investigating.

The Greek rock scene, unlike its economic environment, has been growing in strength over the past few years with what seems like a new band popping up every other week. As with any scene, there are those bands that have that undefinable magical element that sets them apart from the pack and there are those that see a winning formula and try to imitate it, Bonzai are a band who fall into the former category. From the, straight out of the starting blocks, fuzz soaked desert riffage of "Hopeseeker" through the grunge like aesthetics of "Original Sin", the Floydian tinted instrumental "Sunshot" to the slow burning title track "Seeds To Roots" Bonzai do not waste anytime meandering about trying to be overly technical or complex, the band keeping things relatively simple and on point but with just the right levels of intensity, drive and lyrical content to keep things interesting. Scorching WAH pedal guitar solo's, heavily distorted riffs growling liquid bass lines and tight, solid percussion are the bedrock around which cool,clean vocals tell their tales in strong but not overly powerful tones. the musical components all coming together in one gloriously addictive raucous and rocking whole.

Although not as hardcore as Planet of Zeus or as post-rock as Tuber Bonzai nevertheless have carved themselves, with "Seeds To Roots", a comfortable niche within the Greek underground rock scene, a place where grungy psychedelics blend with swaggering bluesy hues and sandblasted desert textures to create one big melting pot of wonderfully colourful groove. 

© 2019 Frazer Jones