North Carolina rock band Adage makes its national debut with the group’s EP, Defined. What listeners can expect is monolithic riffs and heavy grooves. The opening song “Anymore” begins with a distorted, dissonant guitar riff before exploding at the 10 second mark. The song is radio-friendly with its clean vocals and catchy guitar hook. This track virtually sets the tone for the remaining for songs on this record. The following track “Best Of” is much softer and introspective, with lyrics of reaffirmation after experiencing tough times. The guitar lead is refreshing in an era where guitar solos are all but dead in modern rock. Things get heavy again on “Hold On” and “Growing Colder”, which have sharp, scooping riffs. Both songs are accessible and could easily be included on any rock radio station. The final track, “By Myself” ends things on down note, but after two heavy tracks one probably needs a breather.
In the end, Defined provides a nice encapsulation of this band. It is by the numbers commercial hard rock, but that is not necessarily a bad thing when rock is on life support in the U.S. The band plays tight and have the potential to make a dent in the rock scene. There is currently no reigning rock band in America so the field is wide open for Adage to make its mark. Fans of Papa Roach, Sevendust, or Shinedown should check this band out. As for heavy music afficionados that like their music a little more brutal or technical, they may want to check elsewhere.