Aberdeen rockers The Tempilstiks erupt onto the north-east music scene with their debut EP!
If you take a heavy rock music base and attach any type of sub-genre to it, The Tempilstiks probably have a song that fits in. The Aberdeen based four piece believe that “genre is a playground, not a box” and that really shows in the debut EP “The Dawn of the Tempilstiks”. With influences that range from punk to metal to reggae there’s no telling what you’re gonna get with this band who describe themselves as “genre-fluid and proud of it”. If I could narrow things down just a little however, I’d say if you’re a fan of the likes of Black Sabbath and Metallica, you’d probably feel right at home at a Tempilstiks gig.
The debut EP “The Dawn of the Tempilstiks” was released at the beginning of summer and starts with debut single “Over and Over”, a high-octane alternative metal track that explodes with raw energy. Full of distortion, palm-muted power chords and fiery guitar riffs, it’s a very in-your-face sound that immediately grabs the attention and a perfect choice to open the EP. Track two is “Validation”, an old school punk song that ticks every box for a classic punk track. Angry, anti-establishment lyrics, mosh pit speeds and clocks in around 2 minutes, it’s to the point and holds nothing back, the perfect song to let off a little steam to.
The next track “Duck and Cover” crosses into thrash metal territory. There’s nothing subtle about this one, it’s a raw, adrenaline-fueled sonic assault where the vocals take centre stage. Powerful, raspy and full of attitude, the vocals cut through the wall of sound whilst matching the tone and intensity of the music. Track 4 “Market Street” is the latest single and is a complete change of pace from what we have heard so far. It’s much calmer, a more garage rock song featuring a swaggering bassline and solid drum groove that drive the music through the verse before the familiar heavy guitars return for the chorus.
Second single “Number 1” is up next and immediately made me think of Black Sabbath. I love the bass in this one, it starts clean and ominous before becoming a thick low-end growl as the song goes on. The power chords, slick riffs and distortion make this a real head-banging listening experience. My personal favourite, track 6 is “70’s Cop Chase”. The title really sums up the track, you can almost see the car chase scene unfolding as you listen. It has an 80s Metallica feel and it’s just a really fun song, straight into my playlists for sure.
The final track is called “O.N.S (One Night Stand)”. Like Market Street, it’s a bit more chilled than the heavier songs but still has that big guitar sound that make the band so distinctive. At just over 6 and a half minutes, it’s by far the longest song on the EP and is split into different sections. Just before the three minute mark everything stops for a few seconds before heading into a new section with the chant “Let’s take it up a gear” and moves into an instrumental section featuring a drum solo. A final frantic instrumental assault for the final minute features a face-melting guitar solo and will allow a crowd one last, and perhaps best, mosh pit of their evening.
There’s no doubt in my mind if you listen to this EP you’ll have a new favourite metal band, I can’t wait to see them perform live. So far the band have performed headline shows across Aberdeen and surrounding areas but they are making the journey down to the central belt next month. You can catch The Tempilstiks alongside Aklias & The Broken Ravens at Ivory Blacks in Glasgow on the 29th August. More gigs and a debut album are sure to follow so make sure you check out the band’s socials to keep right up to date with Aberdeen’s most exciting new rock band.
