Jesterain – Eyes Of A Joker
Jesterain emerged on the scene in 2020, forming as the pandemic was crushing the music industry. Being fans of NWOBHM and Thrash Metal, they’ve incorporated those loves into a Melodic Heavy Metal with a few Symphonic Metal elements mixed in to give the sound a bit more bite. Heavy, heady riffs and driving rhythms cavort with powerful drumming and melodic keyboards, creating memorable tracks that hook the listener. With their debut EP, Eyes Of A Joker, Jesterain declares they are here to rock your world.
Band Members:
- Peter Bleyer – Vocals/Keyboards
- Pascal Heßeling – Guitars
- Lars Basler – Guitars
- Hajo Tinnes – Bass
- Tobias Wunderlich – Drums
October 2022
Tracklist:
- The Blue Girl
- Eyes Of A Joker
- The Lost Ones
- Stay Strong
- The Traveler
A catchy riff brings “The Blue Girl” to life quickly. It is followed by a rhythm with a nice hook and some suitably gritty wails before the song is fully actualized. Peter has excellent control of his voice, using bits of distortion to give the lyrics more texture, roughing up the voice and making it pop out better. The dual guitar leads, coupled with added keyboards, give the track a bigger sound and more power. Pascal and Lars manage to weave their way around the keys and each other’s leads, dancing intricately through the song.
The title track, “Eyes Of A Joker,” is a more mid-tempo rocker that stays heavy with the guitar tones but has a lighter groove to the whole thing. Tobias is a work of art on the drums. His ability to shift phrases and execute pattern and tempo changes on cue is nicely done. Hajo is solid on bass. You don’t always hear him, but he’s always there, maintaining the pace, holding the whole thing together. He’s not hidden in the mix; you just have to listen. It’s a great place to be because it makes you REALLY listen to the song, not just passively let it play in the background.
“The Lost Ones” has a great hook to the song. Moderately paced, the riff is slow and luxurious, and the rhythm trudges underneath the guitar work, ensuring the guitars don’t wander off. The bridge slows things down and gives the song a chance to “rebuild” before diving into the competing solos. Emerging from the solos with a renewed chugging riff, the track continues towards completion, taking its’ time to work back up to the mid-tempo rocker it started as. This song shows more than just musical talents; it shows Jesterain can craft complex, intriguing songs.
To give you an authentic nostalgic feel, “Stay Strong” is a ballad that will remind you of the 80s. Every hair and glam band was putting out a Power Ballad as the second track off their discs, and they all tried to either inspire you or describe love. Here, you have an homage to that era with a song that will inspire you if you listen to the lyrics. Forget the phone; go buy a lighter to wave in the air at the show; this deserves fire, not light. This song takes me back and lets me remember what I loved about the old days.
“The Traveler” opens with piano and drums. The drums have a marching feel, fitting into the theme that travelers might be walking on their journey. The voice is clean and crisp over that section of the song. After the intro, the song kicks into a nice mid-tempo rocker with an 80s feel. The guitar slides for the riff, going up and down again, have an almost hypnotic presence. I found this song relaxing and let my mind wander, traveling along with the music.
Jesterain brings Hard Rock sensibility to bear. They have the Heavy Metal influences, and you hear them, especially in “The Blue Girl.” Still, they also have a lot of additional influence from other parts of the broader Rock arena, giving them a well-rounded sound based on a wide array of favorites from the past. Killer guitar work, melodic rhythms, textures, keyboards, and an accomplished vocalist all add up to a killer new band that hopefully has a bright future ahead of them!
MZ Ratings:
- Musicianship
- Guitars – 9
- Rhythms – 9
- Vocals – 9
- Songwriting – 9
- Production – 9
- Overall – 9.00
