Greedy Slaves – “Made In China”
A key part of what makes Greedy Slaves’ EP “Made In China” so enjoyable is the integrity and sincerity of the music. They avoid the wannabe megastar-rock fallacies that other alt-rock pretenders are so keen to churn out, and do so with an absolutely natural demeanor. Call-to-action poets with an ongoing infatuation for crunchy guitar riffs, rolling basslines and driving rhythms, they create raw alternative rock anthems, with an added groove-induced flavor of catchy power pop hooks. The lyrics across the EP are honest, focused, and often cut to the bone, which of course is all part of the band’s charm. Greedy Slaves wear their influences on their sleeves, yet produce a sound that is fresh, vibrant and peculiarly original – qualities helped emphatically by the band’s forward looking vision.
A 4-piece band hailing from Houston, and comprising multiple nationalities, Greedy Slaves was formed in 2020 by a collective, who played retro video games, met in local bars, and jammed 90’s rock in a garage. There’s more to it than that of course, and the unusual lure of their futuristic-retro sound, will successfully capture the spirit of the younger generation as well as that of the ’90s nostalgic.
Impressively, “Made In China” is a rich selection of seriously catchy tunes, with essential highlights that thrive on gritty chord progressions, solid arrangements, and ear-teasing melodies, which often reach their climaxes through guitar riffs and vocal roars of epic proportions. The musical aesthetic is apparently straightforward and simple on the surface, but more complex under the hood, which makes it immensely enjoyable on a number of levels.
Raw and pleasantly kick-ass, the “Made In China” EP rides in on high expectations, and winds up rocking out pretty flawlessly. Right from the opening title track, “Made In China”, you are drawn in by the roaring guitars, the momentum pushing rhythm, and the growling vocals.
A wall of guitars drive the second track, “Empty Images”, into levels of ecstasy for six-string lovers, while the songwriting is just as stellar. The song takes a significant step toward recapturing the magic of guitar-driven rock from its heyday eras, reaching it’s apex with a fiery solo.
Greedy Slaves instantly flip the template on “Incomplete Lovesong”, which presents clean-cut acoustic guitars and a mellifluous Americana-styled tune. This leads us to the grinding “The One You Want”, which underscores all of the power Greedy Slaves conserve under the hood, and unleash in pinpointed bursts.
All of which combine into something immensely likeable. The hypnotic rhythm guitar motif and a dynamic backdrop, continually builds in intensity. The melody and lead vocals are superbly executed, to create an absolute earworm of a song.
Greedy Slaves close the recording with another mid-tempo rocking earworm entitled, “Greedy Slaves”. The muted strummed guitars, drive the song with a propelled and gravelly grit. On top, the lead vocals match the intense energy and raw power power of the song’s underbelly. Overall, the quality of the “Made In China” EP, offers hope for a currently depressing alt-rock scene.
“Made In China” develops into a galloping wall of sound that splits the difference between earth-shaking soundscapes and profound navel-gazing lyrics.
