Outgunned - "Vol. I: Answering the Ceaseless Need" Review

Artist/ Band: Outgunned
Title: Vol. I: Answering the Ceaseless Need
Label: Self release
Year of Release: 2008
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Outgunned have been in existence since 2000 and after hiatus in early 2004, when vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Andrew Saunders, began penning songs for a proposed double album. Due to financial issues, Andrew scaled it down to two volumes. The first is called Vol. I: Answering The Ceaseless Need and was released on March 2nd, 2007. As I write this review, I’m sure Andrew is hard at work to release Vol. II for a possible mid-to-late 2009 release. Andrew is responsible for all the guitars, basses, drums as well arrangements and assisting him are Bobby Johnson (Bass on "Rain Schtick" and "The Pendulum's Sway.) and Jon Kennedy (Song and drum arrangement on "Rain Schtick").

Outgunned are primarily a hard rock band that push the boundaries, much like King’s X, along with side project, Platypus. I would say they’re almost “cut from the same cloth”, which should help get the band notice. Mind you they are not a clone, they stand side by side with said bands. I’m hoping the band expands on ideas from Vol I and surprise the music world, well the side that really listens, with an amazing follow-up with either Vol II or a future album. Sometimes they even slightly remind me of bands like Queens Of The Stone Age and Foo Fighters.

The entire album is one that must be listened in one sitting to fully appreciate it’s awe and beauty. Stand-out tracks, to me are, “Beyond Myself”, “History Revisited”, “Broken State”, “The Pendulum’s Sway” and “Earn Your Wings”. These songs alone are worth the purchase price alone and show the diversity the band accomplishes.

If you’re fans of the aforementioned bands, then I will recommend acquiring, Vol. I: Answering The Ceaseless Need, immediately. I’d also recommend fans of song oriented progressive rock to look into this as well. This is, without any doubt, one of the most pleasant musical surprises that I’ve come across in my years of reviewing.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on May 11th, 2009

Tracks:

01. W.T.C.B.S.

02. Beyond Myself

03. Love Crimes

04. History Revisited

05. A River Once Flowed

06. Rain Schtick

07. Amaterasu.

08. Broken State

09. House of Cards

10. The Pendulum's Sway

11. Earn Your Wings