Cargo Lift – THEN: Hard Rock sounds that will pin you down

Chances are you'd believe it… The good thing is that when you're in the thick of things, as we here at Fuzzy Hound are, we get the chance to hear new creations relatively early. That's kind of how it went with Cargo Lift and their newest record titled 'THEN’.

First impressions

I always love listening to new artists. It puts me in direct touch with what's happening musically. I've already mentioned the way I enjoy these moments. Music always loud and me right in the middle of the room, savouring every note.

Cargo Lift, then! New record! New joy for Τζιμάκος!

Everything always starts with the cover and the title. An enigmatic photo for a cover. An equally enigmatic title, 'THEN'THEN'. Nothing enigmatic about the music and the tracks, though.

You can tell a good record from the very start!

The record kicks off with 'YAHA'. A riff that instantly gets you into the groove. And of course, we got the message! Tracks that we can't call either slow or fast, speed-wise. The tempo, though, is spot on and gives the band room to maneuver in some really interesting ways.

Musically, we've got this fantastic distorted guitar sound. That classic, signature combo of Marshall and Humbucker pickup that we loved on records by bands like Guns n' Roses. So the sound has something classic about it. But the handling and the approach have nothing old about them!

Spoiler Alert: Geek mode on!

Forgive me, but I'm about to get a bit nerdy! (I am a guitarist after all!). The tracks are a really lovely showcase of a lot of the guitar elements we love. Pinch Harmonics, Palm Muted riffs, epic solos… You'll feel right at home listening to 'THEN'. Feels like home! We're talking about an amazing combination of 80s – 90s sound together with some elements coming from more progressive sounds.

Rhythmically, the tracks are hugely interesting. To start with, they've got tremendous dynamics and plenty of pauses. At no point do you feel like a track is bare. There's coverage of sounds everywhere, which beefs up the musical result. The dynamics don't stop at the rhythm section (bass and drums). There's huge variation in the guitar parts. From clean and sweet tones, to rhythmic parts that shift around and dynamic choruses. Listening to Cargo Lift, you can never be sure you're correctly guessing what style is coming next in the track.

Vocal-wise, Cargo Lift have a very reliable performer here. A voice with quite a wide range that seems able to pull off many different styles. Within the tracks themselves, we notice it moving from sweet melodic lines all the way to points of tension full of well-crafted 'grit'. In the soft vocal parts especially (though also in some more 'strained' ones), there are moments that faintly recall Myles Kennedy! Here, though, I'd really like to hear the band live, to be able to conclude whether elements like the above are truly part of Cargo Lift's DNA.

Behind the record

The recording of the album was done by Joe F.K. and Γιώργο Μπρίκο at Mix Studio, in Thessaloniki. The mixing and mastering by Joe F.K at Studio 751, in Thessaloniki.

Cargo Lift: Old School Rock, New tricks

Listening to 'THEN', I start slipping into a very fruitful line of thought… I have to clear some things up first. I'm a guy who's really into sounds coming from the 80s and 90s (or even older). That doesn't mean, of course, that I go looking for such sounds in every band.

The Cargo Lift have some seriously impressive elements in their sound. You know the saying 'You can't teach and old dog new tricks'?! Well, Cargo Lift have taken classic Hard Rock and 'taught' it a bunch of new tricks. The sound has that epicness to it. The kind that makes you start playing air-guitar (or an actual guitar, if you've got one)!

And the new tricks?! Plenty of dynamics. Lots of shifts within the tracks. The introduction of atmospheric elements and riffs that bring different colours. The sound breaks away from that classic, tremble-drenched 90s tone. The frequent tempo changes also give it a progressive style. And it all ties together with the vocals. Here, as I mentioned before, Cargo break away from the trend of the times (which leans more towards Stoner Rock paths) and go for a clearer voice, with plenty of low end frequencies and a good amount of grit.

The result is ideal for music lovers and very distinctive indeed. 'THEN' definitely puts Cargo Lift among the bands you should have on your musical radar going forward. At least, that's what I'd personally suggest to you!

What are you waiting for?! Hit play! And listen, as loud as possible…