INJECTED – BURN IT BLACK
Next on the
docket as Music Junk approved is the
band Injected and their only major label release from 2002, “Burn It Black.”
GENRE: Rock
SUB-GENRE: Gun Metal
MEMBERS: Danny Grady, Jade Lemons, Steve Slovisky,
Chris Wojtal
Chris Wojtal
This one may rub
a few people the wrong way, but maybe not… but it probably will, and I’m okay
with that… I think. Anyway! If I could describe Injected in one concise sentence it would be this: Injected is a brutally tight, heavy rock
gathering that brings new interest to a genre that is typically saturated with
douche lead singers wearing flat billed baseball caps. I could really go on railing on that kind of music (and I want to sooo badly), but I'm going to move on and focus on what THIS band had done right. In comparison to the other bands performing this kind of heavy rock, there was something about Injected that seemed much more genuine and it's hard to put my finger on it, but I'm going to try. It never felt like they were trying too hard to sound badass or cool, but more like this sound was just a part of them and that it was inevitably going to come out if they picked up instruments.
They seemed to have an outlook on their music that cared about dynamic, that brought the volume down and then exploded right at the moment you wanted that you didn’t know you wanted. An outlook that relied on stomping, aggressive, yet interesting rhythms within their riffs. Killer on all accounts. Injected was an incredibly refreshing group considering the kind of music they played that sadly released only one album on a major label in the early 2000s and disbanded from a series of band and label complications before officially releasing anymore material.
They seemed to have an outlook on their music that cared about dynamic, that brought the volume down and then exploded right at the moment you wanted that you didn’t know you wanted. An outlook that relied on stomping, aggressive, yet interesting rhythms within their riffs. Killer on all accounts. Injected was an incredibly refreshing group considering the kind of music they played that sadly released only one album on a major label in the early 2000s and disbanded from a series of band and label complications before officially releasing anymore material.
Now let's get specific. What makes these
guys different from other bands in this genre?
The most notable quality would be the singer, Danny Grady, and his unique
delivery. You can probably
hear the sound of the singer from bands like Five Finger Death Punch, Volbeat,
or Slipknot in your head just thinking about this genre of rock. That frat-boy “rocker” sound, and it’s not a
good one. Danny is not like these
gentlemen. Instead, his voice is the
perfect mix of control and lack of control.
Like a graceful drunken stumble.
A voice that finally compliments this style of music instead of sounding
forced or instantly shallow. A very rare
sound for a rock group; so rare that I’m not sure I can point to another band
that sounds quite like it. Aside from Danny,
their riffery is solid as mentioned before and their drummer, Chris Wojtal,
understood where the bass kicks needed to be in relation to the riff to make
the most of it. This genre is the fast
food of music, but this is the best, greasiest burger you’ve ever had. So tasty.
The first track on the album is “When She Comes” and it gives
the listener only a moment to prepare themselves before a satisfyingly heavy
riff comes in and immediately induces head bobbing. Definitely a contender for my favorite
opening track to an album.
WHEN SHE COMES
The next track “Used Up” is another great riff that never
lets up on the rhythmic hits. The vocals
build in all the right places and that sense of build is magnified in the
chorus when the vocals split, one descending and the other ascending. But likely my favorite part of the song is
the one menacing chord that is struck right before the pre-chorus.
USED UP
The last track I would like to show would be “Blood Stained
Glass” and despite its title it isn’t as heavy as the others; a little more
subtle. The guitar takes an interesting
direction and the solos are a weird mix of melodic, syncopated, and
edgy, but it works. Danny sings fairly
dialed back for a good portion of the song and then let’s you have it when you
need it.
BLOOD STAINED GLASS
To do the brief version, these are the qualities that make
Burn It Black a solid album:
1. Rhythmically Interesting Riffs
2. Unique & Genuine Sounding Vocals
3. Brutally Heavy Guitar Sound
4. Punches It When It Needs Punched
5. Drums & Guitar Are Perfect Compliments
Injected had independently released an album (Hammered & Enamored) when they were all just kids back in 1995 and there isn't too much of a reason to find it, but they did have all of the material that was set to be on their next record (The Truth About You) leaked online which has a good portion of enjoyable stuff. I will likely be uploading that music on my Youtube channel so you can listen to it there. Aside from that, thank you for reading this and I hope I gave you something new to add to your regular listening.
Official Music Junk video links here:
When She Comes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWJEHtS2R2I
Used Up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6xDlws8V5E
Blood Stained Glass - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19oRA77pLZM
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