The Coronations

          Coming out of Belfast, Northern Ireland, The Coronations make early British-rock and mod inspired music with punk influences and a harder edge.  Having been wholly formed in 2015, bassist Steve, lead guitarist Mark, rhythm guitarist Harv, drummer Dylan, and vocalist Sam have released their debut EP, Midnight In Belfast.  With strong vocals and a hard rockin' sound, The Coronations have certainly carved themselves a niche.

          The title track of the EP, "Midnight In Belfast", is exemplary of the typical mod/brit-rock styled  music that The Coronations produce.  The song begins with a distorted guitar charging forward from somewhere in the distance, while the lead guitar comes in slightly cleaner.  It really gets underway as the drums enter the picture and the bass line trumps in an almost sinister groove. Sam's vocals follow suit and the raw energy is audible as he launches into the verse.  His indie-esque tone keeps the listener engaged, while the drums settle into a resolute and relatively aggressive beat.  Amidst all this, the lead guitar takes its own path and spits out screaming, blues-styled licks without relent.  As Sam harks "Now it's our time at midnight in Belfast", Mark rips out another, more languid lick and the essence of their genre is made clear; classic-rock inspired and hard-driving, all bound together with indie tendencies and a relentless attitude.

          "Penny" sees a departure from the above typical style.  Beginning with a lonely acoustic guitar and soon followed by mellow drums and an almost sad electric guitar, the track is decidedly different.  Sam's vocals seem ever more indie and have a similar tone as bands like Modest Mouse.  The song quickly falls into a melancholy rhythm  and as it reaches the chorus, the lead guitar weeps under the influence of a wah pedal, as Sam asks "Penny where did you go...?"  Overall, the track adds a well-recieved variety to the EP and its solemn tone adds a certain complexity to the whole collection of songs.

          The Coronations are a strong 5-peice band that draws on several musical styles.  Their unique mixture of classic rock, "mod rock", punk, and indie music give them special potential to become a fan-favorite.  Check out their music on the BandCamp page and be sure to head over to their website and Facebook.  With their first release being balanced and creative, I look forward to future projects.


Thank you for visiting my blog and reading this review.  Please feel free to comment on this article about whatever you feel like (suggestions, what you think of the band, etc...).  If you would like to contact me for any reason, check out the 'Contact' tab above.  Have a nice day and rock on!