Album Details

• Artist: The Oxford Coma
• Album: Adonis
• Label: Independent
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2012-12-20

Nearly a year after teasing me with 3 excellent tracks (the Infrastatic EP), Arizona alt-rock trio The Oxford Coma have finally unleashed their debut full-length, Adonis. My unusually high praise then has led to equally high expectations now. The Infrastatic EP has been merged into Adonis, a wise choice as each of the tracks fit right in amongst the new material. Independently released and produced, Adonis has a gritty edge, and contains some of the absolute best rock music you're going to find.

What sets the band immediately apart is their individual talents; frontman Billy Tegethoff has a powerful, moving voice and high-end guitar chops to boot. Bassist James Williams works overtime to fill in the trio's soundscape, and accomplishes this with nimble-fingered grooves aplenty. Rounding out the group is drummer Casey Dillon, who has a knack for utilizing the entire kit to weave intricate rhythms or tumultuous fills, and does so with practiced timing. Combined, these three of The Oxford Coma are obviously talented, but what shines through even more is their ability to write catchy, memorable songs. After a brief interlude, "BBS" kicks the album off with sharp, circusy riffing, and rages on into a crowded chorus. Very reminiscent of self-titled era System of a Down. "Last To Die" is one of the three tracks from their debut EP, a quick-paced platform for some of James' best bass work and a low-key but memorable chorus. "Rim Liquors" has many faces, at times a groove-based jam, at others an intense dose of STP-esque grunge. "Mime" has a strong psychadelic quality to it's swirling, hypnotic riffs, reminding me of Tool in more ways than one. "Seven" was my favorite track from their EP, and remains one of their best to date, a completely engrossing piece that demands a presence on rock radio nation wide.


And that is just one half of the outstanding, remarkably enjoyable Adonis, an album that should side swipe many a listener. The most difficult aspect of any band's early stages is exposure, and my biggest fear is that Adonis may slip through the cracks of fans and critics. This would be a crime, as it is undoubtedly the strongest debut effort I've come across in many years. Take steps to check this one out, it's most definitely worth your while. 

User Reviews and Comments

on 2013-03-01 SolitaryMan Said:

On further listens, I really do think this album is a huge dose of what rock has been lacking lately...progressive songwriting, skillful musicianship and memorable hooks. It all sounds so much like so much of what I loved growing up, and that's the greatest praise I can give it.
Rating: 9/10