COMA KAI are a quartet helmed by a bloke called Stan (something that immediately gets me on their side) who hail from Oxford: a town previously more associated with the more cerebral end of rock thanks to the likes of Ride and Radiohead.
Certainly, on paper Coma Kai sound equally open-minded and progressive too (note: that's 'progressive', not 'Prog' - there's a difference) as their biog suggests they love bands as diverse as Helmet and The Smiths. All well and good - on paper at least.
Unfortunately, the reality doesn't quite cut the same cross-fertilised musical mustard, as the six tracks making up "_Between One And Six Zeros" (well, really three proper tracks and three linking scene-setters) are all a bit too obvious and not even close to the unique, powerful, NOW sound the band are at pains to strive for.
Which isn't to say the clunkily-titled "_Between One.." is bad by any means. Coma Kai quickly prove themselves to be fabulously tight and in possession of a drummer (a guy called Steve who also handles samples) who really makes you sit up and take notice. It's just that, well....I've heard this kind of thing so many times now that it's becoming as de rigeur as the jangly indie from the '80s that everyone's now at pains to sweep under the mat for good.
Ironically, too, it's actually the three atmospheric linking tracks that are the high points here. The swathes of synth and rippling piano of the spooked "Oderint Dum Metaunt" reminds this reviewer of David Bowie's under-rated "Outside" album, while it's a shame the electro pulses of both opener "Like Flowers In A Hurricane" and "All Because The Lady Loves" are both over before they've seemingly begun as they're potentially pretty intriguing.
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By comparison, the three real songs are a bit of a disappointment. "An Instance Of This" is arguably the best: setting up an apocalyptic atmosphere with martial drums and riffs like an unholy alliance between Muse and Helmet, it's a moody, brutal beast, with Stan Boa roaring like Napalm Death's Lee Dorrian with his nuts held by industrial strength crocodile clips.
It's commendable and technically impressive rather than lovable, which is also something you could accuse both "<3" and "Regrets At 9.42AM" of. The former segues from "All Because The Lady Loves" and suggests she'd rather have a relaxing acid bath than Milk Tray, while the closing "Regrets...." features riffs akin to a tank trying to start up on a cold morning and is as angsty as feck, with the band once again proving to be tighter than a glassblower's cheeks, but undernourished in the tune department.
Quick summation then. Coma Kai are a good band, but not really your reviewer's thing. "_Between One And Six Zeros" is tight, clinical and well played, but it never really stands out from the crowd and in this game that's not good enough.
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