Mental Friction - Capricorn

I’ll be honest, when I think of the words “Capricorn” and “Mental Friction” in the same sentence, I think of some sort of new-age hippie type who loves to still toss around the awful pickup line “what’s your sign?” Thankfully, it seems that this Toronto-based rock band is only concerned with a solid groove that has nothing to do with horoscopes…unless it so happens that they were at some hippie-dippy swingers party where the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Offspring, Santana, Lenny Kravitz, Jack White and Buckcherry all got together and hard-rock fucked their way into producing this band. Just two songs off their upcoming EP ‘Capricorn’ is enough to notice a pull from all of these influences.

This band knows just how to ‘Show Me Some Love’, that’s for damn sure. With interesting vocal compression akin to Kravitz and Jack White, there is an instant sex appeal, aside from the title of the song, that hits the listener. The sultry harmonies backing up the chorus fill out the mental orgy that plays on in one’s head while listening to this track. Throw in an interesting Offspring-style opener and some Santana-esque guitar work and rhythm and there are all the trappings of a supremely sexy rock song. There is no doubt that Mental Friction knows what is up when it comes to drawing in their audience and pulling in new listeners at every thump of the bass and every lick of the guitar.

Now, here’s where it gets really interesting. It really does not seem like this band is all that ‘Laid Back’ but, in spite of the high energy of this track (as well as the previous), there is a vibe that lulls the listener into a relaxed euphoria; just geared up to kick back and love that rock and roll. This song has the most interesting lick that sets the pace and continues it in variation for the duration of the track. It’s essentially a keyed-up and slightly altered ‘Can’t Stop’ riff from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That adds a sort of “what the funk!?” for the listener who is then unprepared for a convincing Buckcherry vocal run in the phrasing of each verse. A hammer of a song, for sure.

The mix of funk, punk, rock, roll, and all the vaulted harmonies and sexy solos one needs mass for the perfect recipe in Mental Friction’s upcoming release of ‘Capricorn’. I cannot wait to hear the third and final track of the EP and I can tell you all that there will be a solid podcast episode coming up for that as soon as we have the release date and the go-ahead from the band…I’m talking to YOU Mental Friction. Send us that final track and we’ll rock out on the podcast! Until then, everyone make sure to check out Mental Friction right HERE to keep up to date!