Style: hard rock, alt rock
Label: self-released
Year: 2011
Home: Orlando, Florida
Members: Pipes ~ vocals
Potts ~ guitar
Marc ~ drums
Moon Milliken ~ bass
The first thing one notices about Fasha, if one has chosen the traditional route of physical CD over abstract mp3, is the blurred red & white decorated folded packaging wrapping up a CD held together by a traditional wax seal. Big bands spend lots of money & hire countless art design agencies to create elaborate box sets & expensive photo sessions, but yet a little unknown band just starting out finds a seal in an arts supply store & it's truly one of the neatest things I've ever received from a band & immediately moved them to the top of the stack to review. But, one shouldn't just judge a band only on their packaging ... though the hip hop world may want everyone to think differently. This is a good solid band with an enjoyable sound that inhabits that elusive space between alt rock & hard rock, think Alice In Chains or the more obscure Tiamat, doing a balancing act between distorted rock rhythms & more ballad moments recalling the composing of Layne Stanley. If you like Alice In Chains Fasha is their protégé via chorused vocals of moodily sung notes & bass & vocal breaks. But ... the sad thing is that their heavily distorted guitars & thumpy bass moments aren't particularly unique. As I said, if you like one band you'll like the other band, but one doesn't always want a band that sounds so much like someone else. Imitative wave riders are nice but one wants more from a band that shows a bit of creativity. A cursory listen belays that they've spent time crafting their songs because the arrangements are tight & there's noticeable variety & the packaging belays creativity. But, I stumble with them as there's nothing for the ears to grab a hold of that lifts them up beyond their heavy Alice In Chains influence. While they do have a feeling all their own ... every band has a feeling all their own. As I said, this isn't inherently bad ... some of my favorite albums I don't review cause however enjoyable they are they don't stand out enough & are just wave riders. But, Fasha has shown some creativity with their packaging & though it might be a minor item it shows they care on some level about standing out in the crowd & for that I want to support them. For their defense, I should be mentioned that Fasha is a new band & this is their debut. It's just going to take a bit longer before they inhabit a space truly their own.
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