Gilo - Blood In Blood Out
Gilo, based in the Netherlands, homeland of symphonic metal bands such as Within Temptation and After Forever, plays everything but that! They use many different musical influences and genres to create an inspiring blend of metal that is purely their own. They’re trying to ignore all the shoving-into-category what’s hot / what’s not image and appearance crap. The only thing you need to know is that Gilo produces brutal in-your-face metal and they’re looking out for the true Headbangers out there!
‘Blood in Blood out’ starts with a small intro which is followed right after, by a great outburst. The instruments and vocals seem to fit each other very well through the entire disc. Especially lyrical expressionist Mike C. does a great job on this EP! He grunts like Dez Fafara (ex-Coal Chamber, DevilDriver) and screams like a second Daniel Struble (ex-Five Pointe O). Except from the clean vocals parts on this disc there’s nothing Mike C. does that I don’t like. Then the bass guitar; most of the times not an instrument which you can focus on clearly without hearing the other instruments as well. But Gilo managed it to make sure this great instrument is very well hearable, like only Fieldy (Korn) can do that with his band.
Well, enough about the instruments, I think it has already become clear that this band has enough musical skills. While writing that I’m wondering why I didn’t hear about this band before?! If this band really plays live like they do on this disc, then Gilo really does have a lot of potential to grow bigger and might reach the bigger stages of Europe in the nearby future.
Normally I can pick a favorite song on the album easily but this time I can’t. This of course is a big compliment to the band! The music is just so varying and most of the times refreshing as well, that it’s hard to pick a favorite song. The fact that the outro of a song fades into the intro of the next song doesn’t make that easier!
I’d really like to see this band grow bigger and get more well-known than they are right now. Great music, a lot of variation, refreshing music (I’m talking about music because this band can’t be put in one category). The only thing I’d like to say to these guys (well Mike C. that is) is: try to work a bit more on your clean vocals and you’ll be a great band!
Mike C. – Lyrical expressionist
Payaso – 6 string emotion & ukulele
Leroy ‘Radja’ Shackleford – Rhythmic assault
Willy Hotwing – Bottom-end-feeder
DJ Bob-5 – Electronic enhancement
1. My Patience
2. Grow
3. Equilibrium
4. Blood In
5. Blood Out
6. D.v.w.a.c.m.