Review / 200 Words Or Less
Gazer
Phone Commercial EP

Independent (2013) Aaron H

Gazer – Phone Commercial EP cover artwork
Gazer – Phone Commercial EP — Independent, 2013

GAZER is a new band hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio. On their debut EP, Phone Commercial, they use a combination of noise and punk to rock the sound-waves. However, they could benefit from a reduction on the noise. The first track, "I Passed The BAR," has a good groove going on with screechy guitars that blend perfectly with distorted bass lines. However, the vocals are muffled so intensely that you mistake them for more noise. The vocals became a bit more audible over the raunchy riffs on the following track, "Apt. Beating." 

The noisy vocals return on the short track, "The Grande Yankee Bride Hunt," while the guitar gets more twangy. It's not until the final song, "Monolith Days," that they get the mix just right. It's a great song that shows the most promise. It breaks a little from the previous formula and finds more focus. GAZER is a band to keep an eye on. If loud, bawdy, rock tunes with some wicked riffs are what you're looking for, this is right up your alley! Check it out over athttp://gazerohio.bandcamp.com/.

6.8 / 10Aaron H • March 18, 2014

Gazer – Phone Commercial EP cover artwork
Gazer – Phone Commercial EP — Independent, 2013

Related features

Gazer

One Question Interviews • July 12, 2014

Related news

1QI: Cheap Time, Hollow Earth, Circles, Gazer

Posted in Bands on July 21, 2014

Recently-posted album reviews

The Necks

Disquiet
Northern Spy (2025)

There are no signs of slowing down for Australian jazz masters The Necks. Following the release of the excellent Bleed in 2024, the legendary trio makes a return with their 20th full-length record, Disquiet. Long-form compositions are nothing new for the trio, but here they dive headfirst into a three-hour tour de force, traversing the abstract and meditative territories they … Read more

The Eradicator

You Can Hate The Eradicator
Independent (2025)

Is The Eradicator a joke that's been going for 10 years (the band), or for 35 (the skit)? Does it matter? Well, only in the sense that I question how much material the Kids In The Hall-inspired hardcore band can cull from a 5-minute skit. (Maybe 10 minutes. The character was revived in 2022's Season 6.) Why do I bring … Read more

Prayer Group

Strawberry
Reptilian Records (2025)

Standing between genres can act as a vantage point. For Prayer Group, sitting at the intersection between noise rock and hardcore has armed them with the necessary arsenal to propel their anger and frustration forward. And so, through a series of EPs and singles, this work culminated in their 2022 debut full-length, Michael Dose, where The Jesus Lizard methodology collided … Read more