Y.O.C. - Sanity Within / The Pit (2-on-1 EP)

Self-released

Posted: 1/16/05

Reviewed by: Steve Gottlieb

Category: Heavy Metal

Released: 2004

Label URL:

Artist URL: www.yoc.kimdir.com

1/2

This is actually two EP’s on one CD, both by the mysteriously named Turkish vocalist Y.O.C. but with a different set of musicians backing him on each EP.  The first set of songs, titled Sanity Within, features four tracks, with “Lone in Darkness/Seeds of Hate” being the standout.  This is one of the best metal tunes I’ve heard in a while, perfectly blending a Maiden-esque main riff with some thrash and power rhythms, with Y.O.C.’s clean yet aggressive vocals.  “Sanity” is a slower paced, “Sad But True”-type plodder, while “No Tomorrow” is another aggressive tune with plenty of power metal riffing but with an acoustic outro that seems to be influenced by Y.O.C.’s Turkish roots.  The short “K.T.T.M.T.” is an awesome thrasher, but isn’t really a true song due to its extremely short length.

The second EP on this cd is The Pit, which was originally released in 2003, and also features Y.O.C. on vocals but a different band for its two tracks.  First up is a cover of Testament’s “Into the Pit.”  The band certainly does the song justice, but I think there are better Testament songs to cover.  I guess studio time was an issue, as this is probably the shortest song Testament ever recorded.  Likewise, “Why” is a good mid-paced tune but also very short in length.

The Bloody Truth:  I’m not really sure who this Y.O.C. guy is or what he’s all about.  He has a good vocal range, though, and an ear for what makes a good metal tune, so hopefully we’ll be hearing more from this guy in the future when he gets some money to pay for a longer studio session.