Artist: Balkans and Trial By Fire
Title: Split 7"
Label: Die Indy Records
Release date: Fall 2007
Color: Some copies are on red vinyl, as you can see.

Balkans and Trial By Fire recently split a 7" released by Die Indy Records which serves as a small sampling of what both local bands have two offer.

Balkans appear on the a-side and contributed "C++," an upbeat instrumental piece, and "F3," a mellow indie-rock tune. Mellow, in this instance, is not a bad thing, as Balkans achieved a Television kind of mellow. It's experimental-rock-mellow and not elevator-music-mellow.

Though they are totally different style-wise from Atlanta's best punk, powerpop, and garage-style bands, Balkans put on a good show, as evidenced by their recent chance to open for Jay Reatard.

The flipside is totally different, as Trial By Fire is a mid-tempo hard rock band that is prone to show off its punk and surf music influences.

"Happily Violent," opens Trial By Fire's side of vinyl, and is a rehearsal space style instrumental. While it is a good tune, the lack of John's unique singing voice is a disappointment.

On "Winter Lust," John's voice is at the forefront of a slower-paced, drum-driven tune that actually reminds me of Public Image Limited. It is easily the best song on this single.

A third track, "Black Art," is a bunch of garbled-up nonsense that you can apparently play backwards and hear Demonic messages. First they draw PiL comparisons, and now I have no choice but to say Trial By Fire pulled a little Black Oak Arkansas hero worship. That or they emulated one of the really bad songs from Sandinista. Actually, this is just a snippet from a Trial By Fire song played backwards.


This 7" is a mere sampling of what both bands have to offer both live and in the studio. Let's hope there are more Balkans and Trial By Fire recordings, backwards or not, in the near-and-soon.