Have you ever been to a concert where there is a build-up until something really majestic happens and suddenly BOOM! There’s fireworks and sparkles everywhere? That’s called a flashpot moment. Songwriter/singer/guitarist/drummer Tim Cawley has been working on his studio project for some time now, and it seems like there are some serious explosions on stage. Coming from Minneapolis, Boston, and New Jersey, The Flashpot Moments present their fifth full-length album, ‘Bombastic Fantastic‘. Tim writes each song as if it’s meant to be played in front of a huge crowd. Strongly influenced by KISS, Green Day, Bryan Adams, and maybe a pinch of Foo Fighters, The Flashpot Moments have the perfect sound to be considered arena rock. The music is catchier and more radio-friendly than the previous album, ‘Very Far‘, even though all songs have a deeper layer of personal self-cleansing and evolving. After all, why not have some fun while exorcising your inner demons?

The album starts with ‘The Optimist‘, and the intro is bombastic indeed. Strong, direct, with the right amount of distortion on the guitar. Brian Charles (Sheila Divine) has done a fantastic job mixing this song (and of course the rest of the album). All instruments are as clear as a bell in my ears. ‘Go Figure‘ starts softer, almost ballad-ish. Tim Cawley has those dynamics in his voice ranging from whisper to roar, and he definitely knows how to use them. In this song, though, he is not alone. There’s also female vocals and a velvet violin that create a colorful palette. My favorite track from this album, however, is ‘With Purpose‘. It starts high tempo with ’70s synthesizer in the background that reminds strongly of Ghost. Around 1:50 though, it has a heavy breakdown that sends chills down the spine to all us metalheads. \m/ Kudos Tim \m/. The last song is ‘Phull Spector‘, and there couldn’t be a better outro. Joyful and relaxing. The best cooldown after such a workout. Electric guitar is still the protagonist but for a minute, it gives the stage to piano until… fireworks!

The Flashpot Moments have created a raw, bombastic fantastic album without too much polishing and overthinking. Next time you happen to be in one of those huge festivals, it might be Tim and his friends performing for you. Just grab a beer and enter the arena!

Ermis Kanakakis