The Deep - Watching You (EP Review)

The Deep – Watching You EP

01. Prepare To Rock
02. Dead Man Walking
03. Watching You.
04. Taking Over

Live at the British Steel Festival in Fisme, France 2016
05. Premonition
06. The Rider
07. All I Want
08. Night-Stalker

Tony Coldham (Vocals)
Paul Smith (Guitar)
Mick Feleppa (Guitar)
Phil Reeve (Bass)
Alan Mogg (Drums) (Tracks 1 to 4)
Fraser Powell (Drums) (Tracks 5 to 8)

Cannot believe it was March 2015 when I reviewed their last album, the band have grown a lot since then, played all over Europe and UK. Tony also spent a brief spell with Tytan.
Initially, the band were intending to simply start writing for the next album after Premonition. However, during the writing process, it became apparent that some of the tracks linked very well into a specific theme. After some discussion, it was decided by the band that this theme should be developed for the entire second album in the form of a concept album.

The other songs that didn’t fit with this theme could be released as an EP.
Recordings began in 2016 at Vatican Studios, the same studio where their previous album ‘Premonition’ was recorded.

However, due to re-development of the site, Vatican had to cease all recording projects and the EP was put on hold. In addition, drummer Fraser Powell left the band at the end of 2017 and so auditions for a new drummer had to be held.
A replacement, Alan Mogg (Ghostfire), joined the band in 2018.
The band started rehearsing and looking for a new studio.
Recording of the EP resumed at HVR Studios in Ipswich, with Danny B mixing and engineering. The Deep are delighted with the results and intend recording the second album there. All being well, recording for the next album will begin in April 2019.

Written as a reaction to the terrible events at the Bataclan, ‘Prepare To Rock’ is full of positive fire and fury.
Soaring vocals delivering heart felt lyrics over a full on drum assault, accompanied with powerful and melodic riffs.

‘Dead Man Walking’ , has a slick swagger, moving at a slightly different pace it manages to deliver rhythm and a superb guitar solo.
Starting off suspiciously like a power ballad, ‘Watching You’ quickly turns into quite a dark and moody mid paced rocker.
Have to mention that the vocal delivery here is just superb from the high pitched screams to the very deep and moody almost spoken parts.

So technically this new EP ends the way it started with ‘Taking Over’ delivering another full on metal assault.
Yet again it is both vocal performance and lyrical content that carries through, I am loving the line “This world has gone insane and we know who to blame”.

Sometimes it is hard to find anything good to say, this is an example where it is hard to find anything bad to say.
It simply delivers high quality British Heavy Metal, yes it nods back to the glory days of NWOBHM, But this is totally “Now!”

Of course the next best thing to any decent studio recorded heavy metal album or single is a live disc.
So twenty minutes of The Deep live is just the ticket, if you want to know if what they create in the studio is all about production and multi tracking then these live recordings are a perfect reminder that those vocals are all Mr Coldham and the band really are that good!

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Amulet, Saxon, Diamond Head, Weapon UK, Tygers Of Pan Tang