Review @ How much Longer must We tolerate Mass Culture?

Max is a friend of mine, but dont let that sway you,
if he thinks something sucks,he would be the first to say it.


Thanks Max!


How Much Longer Must We Tolerate Mass Culture : Tona

"Full Disclosure: this band features George Almosthole who is a friend. Don’t let that sway you.
Whenever I see a band described as “post-rock” I scratch my head a bit. Any genre broad enough to cover both Yes and GG Allin would seem to contain enough multitudes that it wouldn’t need a postscript. Either it’s rock, or it’s not, and if it’s not rock, it could bear some relation.
But Tona aren’t post rock. No, they understand that they are fully in the rock. Never mind that they might employ an eastern modality here, a country lick there, and a grab bag of influences, this still is self-consciously Rock music. There’s no fashionable poses of being in with this marketing genre or that. Certainly, a nod to the so-called “Stoner Rock”, but isn’t that stuff basic rock music, anyway? No, this is asynchronous rock- it’s outside of time. You’ll hear a snippet of Motorhead, a flash of Black Flag, a moment of latter-day Clutch, a moment of Kyuss, a few seconds of the Melvins, and some Thin White Rope. The vocals, while sung, and not growled are full throated and masculine- think Germanic military chants, like Laibach, but not as an affected gesture; that’s just George’s voice. Boris and Filip have a pretty broad range to choose from, sonically- from delicate neo-jazz phrases to full-bore overdriven skronk. Yes, lots of distortion, but more of a late 70’s tube-driven creaminess than a late ‘80’s scooped out shine, or a 90’s thud- even less the contemporary twinkle and crunch- Boris and Filip would blow minds in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, because they play with a much more broad musical understanding, but their tone would not be out of place on a latter-day Thin Lizzy record (and what’s a higher standard than that?)Vladimir and Roger- the rhythm machine- quite frankly they’re locked in so tight that it invites comparison to something artificial, but the tone used keeps it completely organic- lots of splash cymbals and walking bass lines, so it can help but have a kinda woodsy edge. Still, musically, this is rock- don’t expect Belle and Sebastian!
Yes, they are Serbian, and yes, I think that plays into this. They’re not political, but there is the kind of urgency, and determination you just don’t hear in more western countries. Take it this way- when some Anarchopunk band from Orange County screams about war, pain, and death, there is an understood comfort underneath it- they can always go off to college and become lawyers, and when some Satanic Death Grind metal band from Norway screeches about wanting to burn churches, you know full well they have one of the best social nets in the world underneath them. A band from Serbia, from Uzbekistan, from Burma? Even if they come from the upper class, there’s something underlining whatever the band does- if this falls through, there aren’t necessarily the resources to go for plan “B”. Shouldn’t we all have a little of that?"

Read it all HERE

Awesome review @ No Funeral webzine!

So we have our first Texas review, and you know that it has
to be fuckin good! Thanks Brian! Check it out @ No Funeral

"I started corresponding with George in Serbia this year and he's one of the most dedicated musicians with whom I've interacted in a long time. George is the lead vocalist in Tona -- a band that treads the ground between stoner metal and heavy punk. Tona is one of those bands that marries a billion different influences into an entirely new being that fits like an old shoe. Say what? Follow me on this.

"Go Find Jays Circle" is reminiscent of the long-forgotten stoner band Nudeswirl with moments of Into Another's heavier material. "Oreol" throws Dag Nasty, the Minutemen, and SST/Sub Pop-era Soundgarden into the musical blender, to splendid results.
"Go Slow" finds guitarists Boris Radin and Filip Radovanov doing their best Josh-Homme-in-Kyuss impressions that do not come off as contrived.

1000 is an album that would get the full, 100% Carducci seal of approval. The record is filled with soulful melodies that beautifully synchronize with the driving rhythms. It get the No Funeral seal of you-have-no-taste-if-you-don't-dig-this approval. America is a country full of rich weirdoes. Can't one of them pony up the dough to bring Tona to the states? 1000 is highly recommended for the living, the dead and those stuck in purgatory. Really, you need to download this. It's the only way to make up for that whole Bill Clinton thing."
No Funeral

Earthdog`s Visions of Doom!

Its nice to see that our album works well throughout the genres!

Review on Doom Mantia:
"Tona are from Serbia which makes them kind of unique,i don't know how many bands you have heard from there but i have not heard many at all.This album came as a bit of a surprise because i really only ever heard there songs on their Myspace page and on some shitty computer speakers.That's where i went wrong,this CD is made to be played loud to be fully appreciated.To sum up their style and sound is not all that easy,they mix up Metal,Rock,Punk,70's Hard Rock Sounds and some mean Stoner Metal to create something that hits your between the eyes if you are in the mood.I say that because it took me a while for this album to grab me,once it did however i found their songs to be really good and kind of infectious.The vocals are very clean and used to accent the rhythmic nature of the songs.The songs attack with some relentless energy although they do slow down sometimes throughout the album.There is some Motorhead style to some of their songs while at other times they sound more like some of the revved up Monster Magnet stuff.They also have the ability to mix up Progressive Rock with real Boogie/Bluesy based tunes also.Yes this is a mixed bag of a album but what they do they do real well.Production is a bit basic so that hurts the sound in places but they have come up with a album that shows some great promise for the future.Not really the type of band i would normally listen to but i found it quite addictive after a few listens."

Doom Mantia

Review & Interview on dmonzel.com

Read it all on:
dmonzel.com
Thanks Dan!



Serbia. Where World War I started. Slobodan Milošević. These are what used to be the first thoughts when I heard that name. Until recently.
Tona (Serbian for “Ton”) come from Novi Sad, Serbia, the second largest city in the county, and home to the annual EXIT Music Festival. Their somewhat self-titled release, 1000 (ton = 1000 kg), The music is very hard rock, with a touch of metal and punk to give it a very aggressive edge.
1000 is full of heavy guitars, thick bass, superb drumming, and on top of it all, great mid-range vocals, and even one of the best harmonica performances in a hard rock song since Robert Plant (sorry Godsmack). The production quality is great, everything fits into its place perfectly. Nothing overpowers anything else. All but two of the songs are in English, so even for us silly Americans, it’s quite an easy listen. Only “Oreol” and “Grafit” are in Serbian, but the language lends itself to this style of music and really works out well.
Here’s one of the coolest things I’ve learned: Tona is signed to a state-run music label, SKC Novi Sad, which was created to promote diversity in music. Promoting creativity and originality? That has to be one of the most exciting things I have heard about a music label. Ever. Seriously.
I had a chance to ask the band a few questions, and lead singer George took the time to answer, so here we go.

Dan: Who are your biggest influences musically, as a band and individually?

Tona: They vary, like everything in life of course, but some constants
might be Thin White Rope, Motorhead, Melvins, metal & punk of the 80s, you know, the usual suspects. We listen to a lot of music other than rock, like Fela Kuti, tons of jazz, the works.

Dan: Please describe your songwriting process (i.e. is everything written by a couple of the guys, or do you all write together?)

Tona: Usually Filip or Boris, the guitarists, come up with some mean riffage that we all develop together jammin, drinkin…sometimes i start with some lyrics and singing and they start playing, it just happens.

Dan:Tell me about your favorite show or your favorite story from a show.

Tona: We don’t play a lot of shows but they tend to be very intense. Not sure if i have a favorite show though, when its really good i can hardly remember it.

Dan: What kind of equipment do you guys use? (Guitars, drums, basses, amps, everything)

Tona: Boris plays Yamaha AEF420, Filip loves his Ibanez GSA60, Davor plays Epiphone (Gibson) Bass and Vladimir has some vintage Rogers Drums, he’s Russian, he likes old things with a soul inside. As for Amps, well, we use whatever good people of Auris Studio have, since we practice there…and drink beer. Usually some Marshalls are involved. Over here bands, musicians and the likes depend on each other quite a lot, its the only way we can properly function.

Dan: Is that harmonica I hear on “Pieces”? What inspired that idea,and who plays it?

Tona: Yeah, that’s a Harmonica allright, played by a friend, Branislav. We recorded “Pieces” and then Filip just said :”Hey let put some Harmonica here”, and so we did, sound really good.

Dan:Tell me a bit about the recording process. Where you recorded, with whom, and any interesting tales?

Tona: We recorded it in a studio owned by our good friend Miroslav, who’s also a musician, so it was pretty cool. Nothing really interesting,humble equipment, no usual debauchery I’m afraid, just couple of relaxed barbeques. These days you have to interview a banker to hear sex & drugs stories. Regular Johns, yes, but we rock.

Free Download!

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Album out and available worldwide!

And here are couple of reviews, in case you have any doubts ...

* * *

"This is a beast of an album, the accomplished production shifting it up a gear from their previous recordings. It's quite clearly one of those that fits into the category of music that has to be played fucking loud to be properly appreciated. Just as Johann Cruyff pioneered the concept of total football, TONA are exponents of total rock. Every instrument attacks, with George's vocals used rhythmically to intensify the hit. From the outset there's a claustrophobic, machine-like quality to the music, making you feel you're locked in for the duration. The opener "Red Cylinder" is a choking, Motorhead-inspired anthem, and the frantic pace continues with the bluesy, ZZ Top-esque "Pieces". Some temporary relief comes in the first half of the slower, mournful sounding "Box", still my favourite tune, before that too gives way to fist-smashing, Bitch Magnet style riffs.
Even when it slows down, however, such as in "Go Slow", there's no letup in the monstrous heaviness of the impact, in fact the effect is even heightened by the knowledge that another crushing blow is about to be delivered. You can tense yourself in preparation, but you can't escape from its relentlessly pounding, superhuman power. Elsewhere "Grafit" benefits from being sung in Serbian, possessing a greater ferocity than the previous English version, before the appropriately fluid dirge "Through Water" closes, perhaps mercifully devoid of the brute force of the rest of the album, reflecting the listener's own feelings of being utterly drained from the experience, a soothing and strangely uplifting bandage on the wound. Nonetheless, by that time you've been well and truly battered.
Yes, of course it's a macho thing (they're Serbian, for fuck's sake!), a slightly masochistic kick for those who love a bit of visceral aural punishment. And what kind of indie-pop wanker doesn't? Highly recommended."(FROTHING SPLEEN)
* * * * *
"Band Tona from Novi Sad, Serbia, has released its first album called «1000». It is a complete and diverse debut. In fact, this diversity is its greatest strength. It is based.. on relatively simple American boogie-rock topped by a layer of pure rock'n'roll, couple of jazzy tunes, a bit of skate-punk and a lot of progressive metal. Five band members combine this sound throughout eleven songs lasting 43:56 minutes. Two of the songs, «Grafit» and «Oreol», are sung in Serbian language, the others in English, and in a very good English I might say. George Almosthole has a very good and charismatic vocal, and I am sure he sounds even better live. However, you will hear many live sounding momen ts on «1000». The production is a bit raw, although without the distinctive smell of garage, which you will not miss at all. Even though the guys from the band are relatively young, they are all accomplished musicians who know how they want to sound and this is another Tona's distinctive feature.
The two guitarists, Boris Radin and Filip Radovanov, set the musical base for Tona and help out George with singing. That is a big plus. Not only do they sing in different voices, but they also bring new depth to the vocals, which is one more Tona's characteristic. I also have to give credit to the solid rhythm combo with Bojan Kumovic on the bass and Vladimir Ivancev Vova on drums Both of these guys know their instruments. The song «Pieces» is full of different parts, followed by the fantastic, laid-back ballad «Box» filled with jazzy influences I just can not get enough. «Go Slow» is a mid-tempo ballad with lots of progressive tunes and marvellous guitars which turn even hotter in «Down To Play», a song full of unexpected changes of pace.
I hope that I and couple of my friends will not be the only people outside Serbia who realise how good Tona is. These guys may be young and coming from Serbia, but that does not stop them from being a very good band, which, with the right feedback, could become as big as the next one. The band will be loved by many for its musical broadness I certainly hope they will retain the diverse approach which only adds to their value...
I simply like album «1000» very much and I think it is one of this year's best debuts. Unfortunately, you can not buy it here, but if you drop me a line, I will help you contact the band."

8/10
Tore Larson
http://www.artrock.se/

New videos : GRAFIT/PIECES/OREOL

TONA - GRAFIT [1000] myspace.com/labeled_video

PIECES :

OREOL :