Many bands don’t make it to a level high enough to gain national attention and sometimes those that do leave you wondering how in the world they did, because quite frankly they suck. Then there are those bands that you hear and you can just tell that with the right exposure they are ready for the big time. Hello Pan.a.cea, are you ready for the big time? You certainly sound like it!
If you’re familiar with the mainstream rock world you’ve most certainly heard the music or at least the names of bands like Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle and the Goo Goo Dolls. Pan.a.cea and their follow up second album “We the Broken” fit into this category perfectly and though they’re not part of the mainstream yet, they may be soon. The four members from Wilkes-Barre, PA have constructed a musical masterpiece filled with dynamic vocals, rock-steady beats and guitar melodies strong enough to make rockers worldwide smile. Vocalist Tim Farley will make you shake your head in admiration while listening to songs such as “Too Little Too Late” (it’s definitely not too late for this band) proving immediately that his style is crisp and clean with a tremendous amount of range and variation. As Farley belts out the lyrics of “We the Broken” you might actually find yourself being soothed if you’re having a bad day or you’ve been trotting down a rock laden path filled with frustration. This is truly a vocalist who would be a real prize to any band who hopes to make a name for themselves. Enter in guitarist Paul Young and bassist Matt Jaffin and you couldn’t ask for a better combination of riffs to stream into your ears at full blast. Young’s gift of keeping each tune interesting and hum worthy is proof in itself that Pana.a.cea is more than a one hit wonder band. What’s more is that his choice of when and how to use guitar distortion ensures polished playing from the very first song to the last. And while bassists aren’t always given as much credit in bands as other members (unless you’re Les Claypool of Primus or Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) Jaffin’s bass playing connects all of the pieces excellently. Lastly, the fourth member Kevin Harry keeps us alive by adding the element of rhythm illustrating that great drumming doesn’t always have to be overly complex. Pana.a.cea without a doubt has what it takes to get mass appeal.
If you’re the type to sing in the shower (hopefully you’re neighbors don’t mind) you’ll have more than enough songs on “We the Broken” to groan out while cleaning all those hard to reach areas. You definitely can’t go wrong by checking Pan.a.cea out. [By: Andy Rajan]
Rating: 5/5
Release Date: October 20, 2009

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