A new breed of rock band based in Nashville Tennessee, KAATO originally formed in Australia back in 2011 when singer-songwriter Kurt Lowney met up with Mika Nuutinen, Hunter Lovan, and Christopher Williams. A band who wasted no time in making themselves known, it took them only five shorts years of hard work and determination to land their first release and international tour, before eventually making the move to Nashville in 2018 to work on their highly anticipated new album.
Titled ‘Slam!’ the new album was written and recorded in the band’s home studio, giving them the freedom to fine-tune their sound until they got exactly what they wanted from the release. Of the new album, frontman Lowney remarked, “Two months, no pitch correction or any bullshit, no outside production influences, no real theme or approach, and a couple of guys in a home studio taking on the world of rock music. That’s how I wanted to do this one”, and from the very few opening notes of the album, that raucous, erratic energy really shines.
A perfect example of what the album has instore comes in second track, ‘Glamour Queen’, a massive rock anthem that fires off infectious grooves and heavy melodies from the very start. It’s essentially the trademark song of the album, setting the tone and standard for which the rest of ‘Slam!’ lives up to.
Placing themselves firmly in the glory days of rock ‘n’ roll, KAATO’s sound on the album is laced with vibrant nostalgia and immutable intensity, forcing the listener to wake up and pay attention. Charged with a party atmosphere and built on confident sleaze, ‘Slam!’ is an album that finds the band striking out of their comfort zone and looking to excel.
You can stream ‘Slam!’ on Spotify now, or grab your very own copy on iTunes.
Score: 7.5/10
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