By Guy Smith.
I’m truly excited to do this review of one of my favorite local bands Order To Chaos. Their four song EP is entitled Florida Trip. They really stand out to me not only on the local level but musically in general. I thought long and hard about how to classify them or what genre to put them in, and I couldn’t! While I do hear some influences of hard rock, metal, and rock with a bit of southern charm and general rowdiness, their sound as a whole is undeniably unique. They are a 4-piece band consisting of a really diverse vocalist (Graham Austiff) who throws in a crazy combination of highs, mediums, and low guttural screaming and amazingly ranged clean vocals; a drummer (Correy Markowski) who blends unique beats and fills vacant space with sick drum fills; a bass player (Rob Patrick) with a chunky and beefy sound who layers in screams to fill out the mix; and last but not least, a guitar player (Rich Miller) with an interesting approach to feel, sound, rowdiness, and utilizing space for notation who also lays down some sweet solos.
Let’s dive right in and do a song by song breakdown:
Kill Me Twice
Can you say ROWDY? From beginning to end, this song helps take away your inhibitions and reverts you back to your animal instincts. The intro riff leaves you captivated, and the drum beat flows through you down to the bone. The line up of drums and open chugs wrecks your neck. I like the flow from the verse to the pre-chorus and the space vocalist Graham Austiff leaves for his companions to carry the song on their own. I absolutely love the aggressive tail and the layered screams that unfold and they help lead you to the introduction of the bridge. There is a blend of half time and double time feels in this song that somehow always maintain the flow. That’s a very hard thing to achieve, and they nail it throughout this jam. Order to Chaos brings in a variation of the beginning riff utilizing tremolo picking that brings you back to the start in a slightly different fashion.
Rage
This is most definitely a ballad, but somehow they still never lose strength or head nodding ability. The unique drum beat during the verse is without a doubt my favorite drum beat on Florida Trip. Also, my personal favorite layered screams can be heard right when the song picks up. The feel is matched tightly by both vocals and guitar. They did a phenomenal job lining up feels and drive as a group coalescing from individuals into a single unit! After it picks up and they go back around for the second verse I love the subtle changes the guitar makes maintaining the feel but still picking up the energy. The drum fills and utilization of long spaces are also my favorite fills on the EP. This song sums up the name of the band–it has order in the beginning in preparation for the chaos of the bridge. And then, enter my favorite guitar solo. Shred it, brother! The solo paves the way for the chaotic breakdown and ending.
Lost Illusions
Another rowdy intro riff to start this one out strong! I enjoy the sentiment of the lyrical content and the message it conveys. Definitely getting the feel of people pushing you to the edge where losing self control becomes a question of being morally the correct course of action. I dig it! The layered screams of the two vocalists at the end of the first verse are on point! It really adds depth to the feel and helps make you feel the message that much more. The pinched harmonics in the break from vocals keep me pumping my fist in the air. This song’s breakdown is one of my favorites; it keeps my adrenaline pumping and has me jumping about. This song also features my favorite chorus finale. I love how they create a slight break feel to it with some sweet nuanced guitar fill notes before going back all in. Then to complete and end it with more vigor and add even more depth they add background vocals mirroring words! A fitting end to this masterpiece!
Florida Trip
This is my jam! The creative approach to the lyrics and concept is simply artistic. A story of drugs and a very interesting trip in Florida both literally and figuratively. The southern feel right off the bat had my head nodding instantaneously. Then, the vocals come in carrying the southern drawl right into the chorus. It was way cool how it went from the slower head nodding verse into a rowdy chorus. The break after the second chorus is exactly how it should be, where everyone drops out except the bass line and in unison everyone flows in together. That invokes rowdiness in the core of my body. The seamless transition from that to the solo brings order to the chaos (if you catch my drift), which then leads this song to a fitting conclusion with a ring out filled with random overlapped voices describing said Florida Trip. Another masterpiece contrived of creative uniqueness!
There is no weak point in this Florida Trip. From production to skill level and individual talent, from layered screams to the unique, thrashing-your-brains-out goodness, this EP contains everything for a wide range of music listeners. I’ve seen Order to Chaos live multiple times, and they not only nail it, but bring the audience’s energy level to new heights. If you haven’t already, you need to witness the order to their chaos in person. You will not be disappointed!
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