Portstewart based power trio Axis Of are one of those Northern Ireland groups that I have been aware of for many years, yet have never really engaged with them or taken much time to check out their material. When I heard that the group had released their latest single, I treated the news with a certain degree of apathy. Thankfully, that feeling changed when I finally got around to checking out the track.
Because "Lifehammer" is a rather fine track indeed. Produced by Rocky O'Reilly (a surefire sign of a well produced track), the song mixes the band's guitar-centric riffage with a rather accessible, playground chant vocal style. It's perhaps the closest that heavy rock is going to get to feeling like a nursery rhyme. Having supported The Bronx and The Joy Formidable recently, and with a few more live dates forthcoming, 2013 could be the year that Axis Of begin to make a break for the wide world.
"Lifehammer" is out to download now, and is taken from their debut album "Finding St Kilda", which will be released later this year.
