Ohio Sky. This House is Old and Filled with Ghosts

Ohio Sky.  This House Is Old And Filled With Ghosts.

Electric Pyramid Studios, 2012.  Ohio Sky: http://www.ohioskymusic.com/

Ohio Sky is a progressive rock quintet from Cleveland, Ohio. They have one full length album, Curses, also produced by Electric

Pyramid Studios (Editor's Note: this was reviewed in this blog in October 2012). This EP starts off with a slow but steady rhythm paired with low, softer vocals. It’s a different turn from their previous music with an incorporation of a violin and cello to give the music an entirely different feel that had not previously been explored. This newer, slower, but still powerful music flows well and isn’t jarring. It sets the stage for a new experience and an enjoyable one at that.

Track two builds on the previous song’s haunting melodies but begins to add in more rock elements, letting in more drums and guitars. “Shadows,” the third track, is an instrumental piece and is the longest track on the record. It’s faster and more in touch with their rock roots more so than the previous two tracks, leaving behind the melody and relying more on the drums and guitars to do the playing. The track rises and falls in terms of intensity but overall it seems to still fit in with the album’s exploration of this new sound.

“Daybreak” is the shortest song on the EP. It falls back into the slower rhythm that seems to complement the first two songs. However it is the final track, “The New World,” which pulls the entire album together. It starts off with guitar and drums and escalates to the loud and passionate vocals that I was waiting for throughout the EP. It is a powerful and intense way to finish the album and not at all an unpleasant one.

For being so short on lyrics I was surprised how well the artists carry the songs without dragging them out. It shows potential for keeping listeners interested but yet hanging on every word. Overall, I’d give Ohio Sky a big thumbs-up on their work with this EP. While some of the songs on Curses have a similar sort of feel, none of the songs come close to the same experience I had while listening to this EP. There’s a lot of potential for this band and I hope to hear more from them in the future.

Personnel: Vinny DiFranco (Vocals/Guitars) Michael Bashur (Guitars/Trombone) Eric Bambic (Drums) Patrick Finegan (Synthesizers) Ellsworth Turner (Bass/Grand piano).

Tracks: This House Is Old And Filled With Ghosts, The Silence, Shadows, Daybreak, The New World

Bryn Wolanski