Hailing from Tacoma, Washington, hard rock/grunge outfit Milk Krayt returns with an equally powerful second album, SEIZE. With exceptional energy, SEIZE scorches through 12 aggressive, melodic, occasionally angry tracks that similarly inspired fans will absolutely blast through speakers of every size and upon every device. What makes Milk Krayt such a genuine modern rock unit that positively rattles your teeth and scratches that metal-grunge itch? Let’s hit the highlights:
Wait. Who does what?
Caleb Freitas – Singer/Rhythm guitarist
Matthew Reeff – Singer/Lead guitarist
Bryce Freitas – Bass guitar
Prescott Lafontaine – Drums
And….why “Milk Krayt?”
The name comes from “Papa Milk Krayt,” a band member’s grandfather who, after a little too much to drink, simply pointed at a milk crate. And there you have it.
So, about those highlights…
The album kicks off with “Swirl,” a punk-meets-Nirvana offering with some positively sludgy grunge chugging. A decent track, but the album only gets better.
At times, track #2, “Let’s Just Forget,” sounds like something from Silver Chair’s Frogstomp. This is an excellent track with a rapid-fire chorus.
“Grey” positively channels Alice In Chains (and a little Mad Season) — from the guitar sound, the notes/chords/riffs chosen, to the slow, foreboding vocal delivery. This may be…okay, it’s totally my favorite track.
“Original” begins with bending strings and unkempt aggression. There’s an interesting mellow interlude here that slowly hits the breaks – it’s a nice spacious section granting the song a brief comfortable atmosphere. There are a few moments that remind me of Nirvana, especially as the singing turns to screaming before things end abruptly in chaos.
“Road to the Sun” starts with distorted chugging, a muscular beat, and an almost Ramones-ish vocal delivery. So, perhaps we should add a bit of energized punk to their stated genres.
“Milkweed” opens with some Alice In Chains chugging. There’s a good bit of yelling here, and the song totally demands it.
“E.M.U.” carries on that grunge feel – it starts with a sludgy, Soundgarden-esque riff and hits vocal moments reminiscent of…yep, Alice In Chains’ Layne Staley (specifically, the “yeeaaaah” parts).
Closer “You’re Not Perfect” starts with a cleaner guitar sound; three sparkling chords very similar to YES’s “Starship Trooper” – specifically, those legendary phasing chords leading to an epic, panning, and respondent guitar solo. As “You’re Not Perfect” continues, it moves into giant fuzzy chords, and I suppose I hear a little Filter here. Returning to those same introductory chords, “You’re Not Perfect” slows in notable effort to a quiet halt.
But is it good?
Do you like some of the finest grunge bands the ‘90s had to offer (like Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden)? Good, because we do, too.
Do you like your music with anger, aggression, a genuine need to express, and clever methods to enact said expression? Good, because we do, too.
Do you like modern, grunge-affected hard rock that really makes you feel something? Good, because like us, you’re going to LOOOOVE SEIZE by Milk Krayt.
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BELOW: Listen to SEIZE and check out Milk Krayt on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok (for some GREAT promotional vids), Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. Please support Milk Krayt by visiting them online and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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