EVE HEll & The razors - Fire it Up!

Like a solo instrumental shot from a gun in a darkened room, the guitar styling of Mike Hell fractures the nocturne with a heavy handed stroke of light.  His marriage of tone, chord, cadence and rhythm is his vocal call to arms encouraging the band to unite, find him in the abyss and join him. . .enter Eve Hell, and Lorne Peterson.

Eve’s rhythm section of her trademark scarlet red 1/2 Custom Sparkle King bass emblazened with the homage to Folk music roots "this machine kills sexists" is ignited by Mike’s complimentary rockabilly twang style.  The unity and bond between Mike and Eve is heavily weighted in their stage presence – each staring the other down in a reminiscent ‘gunfighter’ stance and menacing glare, instrumentally pushing each other to the highest of heights, building the song into a fevered pitch and crescendo, delivering it as an explosive ticking package to the listener.

Lorne Peterson, rounds out the trio as the thunderous backbone which gives the ultimate knockout punch to the audience.  Lorne’s distinctively fast paced playing is furthered by his razor sharp tempo and accuracy, like any good drummer he clearly follows and reciprocates with his bass player, keeping time with Eve strengthening the core from within.

Eve Hell playing bass seems to feed a small fire within, her signature red hair being the ignition point of a pending inferno of blistered fingers, broken strings, sweaty brows and exhausted bodies laid to waste in the wake of a live Eve Hell and the Razors show.

Eve Hell and the Razors are a band unlike any other; the deceptive unassuming presence in any bar or venue would often feature the question ". . .oh are you guys in a band?" - this would be a severe underestimate of talent beneath the surface.  "In a band ? - We are the band" would most accurately describe their supreme attention to playing detail and stage presence.  Unlike most acts crossing the country today, Eve Hell and the Razors have cultivated a cult following in their hometown of Calgary, AB.  Much the same as the community trademarks of corporate cowboys, oil and gas, the Calgary Stampede and bucking broncs; Eve Hell and the Razors have carved a niche and honed their skills in a vacuum.  Whether playing a small dimly lit club, the local Calgary Folk Festival or across the Atlantic Ocean in Europe, the band has earned its place in the historic annuls of the Calgary music scene along iconic independent artists such as Ian Tyson, Jann Arden, Tom Jackson, Paul Brandt, and George Fox.  Although these artists may not be in the same vein of musical genre as Eve Hell and the Razors, they are most certainly listed similarly with the professional approach to the industry and their mutual respect for audiences and fans alike.

With the release of their first full length CD "Fire It Up" the Eve Hell and the Razors sound broke inaugural ground in the Calgary music scene, the persistence of small club gigs and many road miles manifested itself in 9 songs that solidified them amongst their music peers as contenders on the scene.  With the opening track of "Creature From the Black Lagoon" - the 1920 cinematic horror show theme and crackling audio beckons you "come forward" like an outstretched zombie hand clad in decaying flesh.   The second track of "Voodoo Doll" is an exquisite ride with Mike and Eve in a push pull / give and take expose that Eve leads with her weighty vocals, each breath heavy with passion and her man by her side.  Mike Hell's trademark screaming guitar rockin' and reeling against Eve's vocals, Mike brings his signature Gretsch Black Falcon to the party with no signs of stopping - the riffs flow like water from his tattooed pickin' hand reading "HELL".

The following seven tracks pack everything from the conceptual inferno detail of the same name "Fire It Up", the scintilating guitar of Mike Hell and vocal duo of Eve on "Drinkin' With the Devil".  Closing your eyes you can imagine Eve Hell as she draws her fingers swollen and blistered in each song, her quest for pain and pleasure a fine divisional line of exquisite artistic impression of which she refuses any salvation.  The album takes an abrupt right angle to address the post mortem culture with an all too familiar yet unnerving clipping thunka - thunka beat of her custom bass, she takes you on a roller coaster ride to "Rattle the Bones".  With the opening of "3:00am", Eve Hell has earned her place in your heart, those devilishly delicious vixen - like breathless vocals leave your soul swimming amidst a lover's quarrel and subsequent split - ". . .think about what could've been".  As any hotrod officiando will tell you there is a substantial love affair with any car; the track "I've Got a Car" is a very intuitive mix of love and hate, between the sweet body lines, the whitewall tires that make her look so fine; it's all overshadowed by the failing brakes and steering issues.  These mechanical issues thankfully are dealt with in the garage, you will find no such mechanical issues on this offering, technically sound and purring like a kitten under the hood.

If you're looking a for a the definitive Canadiana Rockabilly sound in your music travels, Eve Hell and the Razors are sure to quench your thirst for good down home music.  Their music is built and cultivated on the fundamentals of grease, gears, rods, playin' music and living with no regrets.  Add Eve Hell and the Razors to your collection today and you won't be disappointed, look for them in the not too distant future playing locally in your town. . .

Eve Hell and the Razors - "Fire It Up"

1. Creature From the Black Lagoon
2. Voodoo Doll
3. Fire It Up
4. Drinkin' with the Devil
5. Rattle the Bones
6. 3:00am
7. I've Got A Car
8. Sugarskull
9. California

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