• Wed. Oct 9th, 2024

Shaylon – The Debut EP from These San Francisco Based Rockers!

This EP marks the first release from San Francisco's Shaylon.

The members of Shaylon!

 

For years, one of my favorite bands on the Las Vegas music scene was Aces High, an Iron Maiden tribute, whose members have long since gone onto other music projects. Amongst that group’s talent was guitarist Charly Urso, who has since relocated to San Francisco and assembled a new band.

Shaylon is the new symphonic metal band from Urso, which teams him up with drummer Marco Bicca, bassist Alex Tamas, and vocalist Tina Diggs. The group recently finished work on their three-track debut EP, featuring production work by Adair Daufembach, whose past credentials include work with artists like Tony Macalpine.

It is always interesting to see musicians trying their hand at something new and progressive, and Shaylon’s EP definitely falls under that category. Fusing the intensity of hard rock and heavy metal riffs with melodic, symphonic classically-inspired sounds is nothing new in the music world, but every now and then a group comes along that can truly harness the best of both ends of the spectrum. Although this release from Shaylon is only an EP with three songs, it definitely gives us as listeners an idea of what we can expect from them in the future.

 

shaylon2

 

Right from the hard-hitting symphonic riffs that start off “Forgotten Realms of Wonders,” you know that you are embarking on a progressive metal odyssey well worth taking! The opening song remains hard and heavy but gives the listener the perfect balance of heavy and symphonic. Tina Diggs’ vocals are perfect for the material at hand; a fact that will become apparent mere seconds into this opening cut. The “heavy yet symphonic” sounds continue beautifully on “Revelation’s Time,” the second track on the EP, with Diggs giving what may be her best vocal performance on the release. Closing out the EP is “The Wolf and the Mermaid,” which is a much slower and more melodic track than the first two, yet beautifully shows off the musical talent of the quartet, in terms of performance and songwriting alike. It closes things out in fine form here and definitely has this fan optimistic for more.

If you are a fan of symphonic rock/metal, this debut EP from Shaylon is a winner, and well worth listening. You can stream the tracks at the link below. You owe it to yourself to give this one a listen; there are only three tracks but each of them are excellent, and go to show that this is a musical experience that has the potential to go places in the future. Strongly recommended!

 

 

Click here to stream the band’s EP

By Taylor T Carlson

Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.

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