Friction Land is: Mark Tyrrell on guitar, Johnny
Abreu on vocals, Justin Stokes on drums and Jayme
Sanchez on bass.
Their self-titled album is a melodic homage to
alternative rock with dashes of grunge and punk
thrown in to spice things up. The opening track, “Just
You & I,” has a fast beat and elements of the post-
grunge scene with the barest traces of punk. This is
an excellent introduction to the Friction Land
sound. “Extraordinary Life” highlights the rhythm
section and Stokes on drums and Sanchez on bass nail
it. Friction Land does a great job changing up the
tempo, making this is a solid offering with melodic
hooks.
“Giving It All Away” is a special song to this band, as
it inspired them to unite. This offering is the first
one written for the album and it begins with a slow
and harmonious guitar riff and vocals that are smooth
and well-delivered. The sound changes into a
grunge-driven melody that offsets the slower pace
wonderfully. In keeping with this theme, “How They
Gonna Be Saved” also has a variance of tempo that
keeps listeners engaged and entertained.
Friction Land has some graceful ballads as well and
“Something Special” is one of them. Boasting strongly
written lyrics and a vocal delivery that suits Abreu’s
voice, this is perhaps the most artful and creative
offering on the album. “Back Home” continues in this
vein with elegant guitar work and haunting lyrics.
Moving on from the slow ballads, Friction Land again
rolls effortlessly into the world of rock with
“Follow Me” and “Ball of Pain,” both influenced by
grunge, but each with their own unique twists that
make these songs solely Friction Land. This band has
a knack for adding their own flair to everything they
do, making their music distinct and original.
“Faking Emotion” is a perfect example of this, as there
is a definitive punk flavor to this one, and yet it
can’t be tied to any specific genre other than simply
the art of Friction Land.
The album closes with “Illusion,” which is a punk-
based offering with the grinding guitar chords of a
metal band. Friction Land is clearly a band creating
music with diverse influences, which allows their
music to be extremely distinct. They are a lyrically
sound band and their musicianship is skilled.
Friction Land’s self-titled album is brimming with
energy and an addictive essence that can only come
from this band.