I’m a hard Rock guy. A face-melting kinda guy. Blistering solos tastefully positioned in the song. NWOBHM, Power Metal are preferred genres. I hate ballads (mostly…some of the classics from my youth warm my heart though). Don’t misunderstand me though, I’m also a vocals and melody guy. That being said sometimes a little lighter fare really hits the spot. Remember, I’m a melody guy at heart, a lover of 80s pop even. So a recent five-song EP that crossed my path does exactly that. I speak of Mark Daniel‘s EP New Truth.
This EP drops on February 23, 2018, courtesy of the AAP Label (Advanced Artist Promotions). Hailing from Connecticut, Mark has supported artists such as Steve Vai, Everclear, Eric Gales, Marshall Tucker, Living Color and more. He toured and recorded with various Blues Rock projects for the better part of twelve years. The New Truth EP, recorded in Mark‘s home studio, is a collaboration with session drummer Mickey Curry. You’ve probably heard Curry‘s work with Hall & Oates, Bryan Adams, The Cult or Elvis Costello. Featuring Marc Hickox on bass, New Truth is written and produced by Mark Daniel, mixed and mastered by Matt Wagner.
MARK DANIEL – New Truth EP
The entire five-song collection is a very relaxing listen. Removed from my normal face-melting choices as I said earlier, it’s the perfect wind down to a hectic workday. Opening with the gentle swagger of the upbeat “Slow Setting Sun”. Just a feel-good uplifting song. One of the more striking qualities is Daniel‘s smooth clear vocals. Next up is “Heart Stops Beating”. It’s a little more low down and dirty with a bluesy grind to it. The song also showcases a catchy chorus that remains long after the song fades away.
“Walk Through Fire” is a nice melodic song that literally floats by. A mixture of softer tones and a harder edge surface in “Coming Down”. The New Truth EP winds up with “Got It Bad”. The acoustical beginnings are soon joined with the rest of the instrumentation in this really bluesy feeling cut. I think it’s the vocal melodies that really sell this effort home. A fantastic end to a long day…now I just need a glass of wine, smoking jacket, and a pipe. Nah, gimme a beer!
Cheers,
The Meister
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https://soundcloud.com/markdanielmusic/slow-setting-sun-mark-daniel-2
