The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath… For decades, the spirit of classic rock continues to live on through countless modern music genres, whether it’s catchy pop songs, Phonk with a strong emphasis on bass and drum, or famous jazz fusion artists. But today, let’s take a step back in time and focus on one particular rock subgenre: hard rock.
Defined by its distorted guitars, pummeling rhythms, and vocals ranging from gritty howls to soaring anthems, this genre has shaped and inspired some of the most influential and technically gifted artists in the history of rock.
Now, amidst the underrated rock music landscape in Hong Kong, one band stands out from the crowd with roots in independent alternative music and a focus on hard rock. Gradually gaining supporters and rousing attention, they have performed on several occasions such as Underground Rocks 2023. Yes, that’s right, The Ferals have just released their first and new single – ‘Woofie’! Strap in, grab your headbands and signs, and it’s time to dive right into the review and analysis of “Woofie”.
Starting with a gritty melody played by an electric guitar, this song immediately sets the stage and mood of a more classical style of hard rock, reminiscent of songs by Led Zeppelin and ACDC. Following it are the drums and vocals, with the drums, following a straight and simple pattern that doesn’t overpower the other elements, giving it its head-bopping rhythm, while the vocals sing in a lower, dramatic tone, occasionally using guttural and growling sounds. Like most rock songs, it’s set in a minor key, and with the infrequent screams switching to low, natural singing and the electric guitar walking down, you get the sense of getting crazy and descending into insanity. I must mention that this is my interpretation of the song, not exactly what the song must mean to the listener and the Ferals themselves.
Moving on, the mixing and audio production on this track is phenomenal. Of course, you can increase the volume to get a louder, more dramatic experience, but for the gentle and casual listeners, none of the elements overpower each other. The vocals are on top of the instruments, the electric guitar and bass shine in their solos between the singing, and the drums are around the same layer as the guitars. Though it’s harder to understand the lyrics and themes of ‘Ammonite‘ (some might be able to pinpoint it to be something about love or a couple through the lyrics and music video), Chris B’s raw, expressive delivery, coupled with the song’s inexhaustible instrumental backbone make for a compelling listen, even if the deeper meaning remains a bit perplexing.
From the perspective of a pop, musical and jazz listener, this song is amazing and worth listening to. Since rock is not as popular and mainstream nowadays, people might be hesitant to listen to rock as they might never have heard of it. Similarly, I didn’t put much thought and focus on this song or this genre before writing this review. However, I was captivated and slowly liked this song as I did my research and listened to the song countless times for better understanding. I would say this song is somewhere between rock, hard rock and more extreme versions since it’s not too loud or just screaming, but rather includes other elements like a repeating, catchy bassline and singing. To conclude, I would rate it 7 or 8 out of 10, being the newest hard rock song in Hong Kong (a rare sight) and a catchy, expressive one.
Finally, this song is available now on Apple Music, YouTube and Spotify. If you’re a fan/ lover of rock or hard rock, I recommend listening to this song, give it a try and support The Ferals if you like it! If you’re not as experienced or have never heard rock before like me (you might have heard The Beatles though), I would also encourage you to listen to this song and just enjoy the vibes and alternate style it provides, in contrast to the bright summer vibes and repetitive pop choruses. As always, see you guys in the next review. See ya!
– Joshua
