I love music that has a little speed and a great tempo - something I can dance, rock out, and drink to. Fittingly, Psychocide just released Hungover, a new EP inspired by at least two of these activities. Formed in New York City, the band is comprised of an eclectic group of people who, in November of 2012, bonded over Jack Daniels and Notting Hill Bin 808 in Brooklyn’s Bushwick. Each of the group’s members, much like a lot of folks found in and around the Big Apple, hails from other places and seems to have a unique music background.
The new album is a collective work between Goldwyn Thandrayen (lead vocals and lead guitar), Wilson Li (drums and vocals), and Geoff McFarlane (bass, keys, guitars, and vocals). Though Marc André Glen is also part of the band, he was not involved in the making of this particular record. “[Three out of five] songs on [Hungover] stemmed from Thandrayen just before passing out after a heavy binge session, he would send the rough idea fully recorded in a group chat and wouldn't even know about it until the other members brought it up again in their rehearsals.”
The resulting 5-track album is sort of a tribute to rock music released in the late 1990s and early 2000s, in both a musical and lyrical sense. “Confined” really reminds me of Journey’s “Love Will Find You” from an auditory standpoint, but also of Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo in regard to the vocals. The cover of The Cardigans’ “My Favorite Game” is substantially heavier than the original pop song, but it works in an entirely unexpected way. I really like “Kinaesthesia” for it’s progression, tempo, and vocal arrangements. “Crash” and “Unattainable” are a little moodier.
The individual contributions of the band members the the overall sound of the band are pretty evident on the the tracks. “Thandrayen is a Rock and Pop enthusiast from Mauritius, Li is full on progressive metal drummer from Alma, Quebec and McFarlane an Educated Jazz player from BC area.” Hungover was released on October 19th, 2018, check out the album and more from the band here.
Note* Album provided for objective review by our partners.