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Album Reviews : Warnings – Event Horizon

By on June 8, 2020

Australia seems to produce high-quality alternative/progressive rock and metal acts like it’s shelling peas, and here is yet another one. Warnings are a Melbourne-based duo who have only recently put themselves together, but they have found their songwriting feet in the merest blink of an eye if this, their debut EP, is anything to go by.

At least part of that may stem from the fact that both members have an illustrious pedigree in the local scene behind them, with names like Engine Three Seven, Branch Arterial and Secret Tsunami on their respective CVs. Guitarist Tim Chilman and frontman Casey Dean have drawn upon that, as well as an enormous canon of Aussie and international alt and prog rock to produce something rather special on Event Horizon. The EP is four blistering yet highly melodic rock tracks, choc-full of hooks, dynamics and huge moments, and then closed out by the slower, more atmospheric, more heartfelt Denied, which builds nicely in a slow-burn fashion over its four minute length. It’s a bittersweet and melancholy way to close proceedings, and provides a very left-field contrast to the very ‘up’ vibe of the four tracks that preceded it. This is a band already in full command of its craft.  

Both members are in ripping form here. Dean’s voice, and the fact that this band resides in a similar ballpark stylistically to his former major project, makes it a touch difficult to separate it from the output of E37. But this is a good thing, as E37 were an awesome band, and Dean’s powerful but sweet vocal delivery is again a feature here. Chilman’s riffs are chunky, ballsy and full of groove, and his playing is dead on the money. And overall, this entirely self-produced release sounds punchy, powerful and full of clarity.

These two local lads have produced something rather special here. The fact that they’re a brand new outfit and this is their very first release only adds to the aura and the promise of what might come.

You have been warned.

Band: Warnings
EP: Event Horizon
Year: 2020
Genre: Alt/prog heavy rock
Label: Cement Records
Origin: Australia

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.