KOSM: Cosmonaut

For about two years, KOSM has proven themselves to be a dynamic and hardworking band. Their sound, a rough combination of Tool, Mastodon, The Agonist, Gojira, and others, is technically impressive and solid. For anyone interested in getting a quick glimpse into the band, check out some of their YouTube videos, especially their covers of Mastodon’s “Blood and Thunder� and Gojira’s “Ocean Planet.� If you watch them, you’ll see just how talented this band is. While I was watching, I read several of the online comments and thought it was cool how complimentary people were. KOSM is a good band, and people are taking notice�"a good sign.

Several people expressed surprise at how good Jessie Grace’s singing is. I think such feelings stem not only from how rough Jessie’s growl is, but also the way her range is just enough to keep listeners guessing as to what else she can do. Sure, there are other vocalists like her, but her style does stand out from others. KOSM also has a rock-solid drummer in Sterling Paterson. Watching him play on the videos is nothing less than inspiring. Bands with drummers like that need to take advantage of the extra energy (not to mention all those beats) they can bring. Rounding out the band are two guitarists, Erik Leonhard and Mike Slater, and Michael Mastracci on bass. They make a great team because they all play technically solid leads masterfully. Now that I’ve praised these guys so much, you might be wonder if I was really that impressed with the YouTube videos? I was. Bands that can play songs like “Blood and Thunder� or “Ocean Planet� convincingly are definitely doing something right.

Sometimes impressive covers overshadow original works, especially if the covers are solid. That shouldn’t happen here, especially if you like the same bands KOSM likes. “Space Mead,� one of the band’s current signature songs, is a solid piece of songwriting, as is “Ancient Heart.� Both tracks will give listeners a good sense of the band. I also really liked “Wolves Upon the Throne� and “The Ancient Ones.� The latter especially caught my eye because of its obvious nod to Lovecraft. I like bands that do interesting things with Lovecraft.

Overall, this is a strong debut album from a talented and ambitious band. Be sure to watch their YouTube videos. They do a nice job introducing everyone to the band.

Track Listing:
1. Space Mead
2. Cosmonaut
3. Colossus
4. Wolves Upon the Throne
5. The Esoteric Order
6. Farseer
7. Ancient Heart
8. Fiefdom in the Sky
9. Omnipresence
10. Monarch
11. Unbrakinesis
12. Wza-Y’ei

Added: December 11th 2018
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 1160
Language: english

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